Close Central Hudson service in 4 steps
Call 3 business days ahead
Dial 1-845-452-2700 Mon to Fri 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET or Sat 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. From outside 845, use 1-800-527-2714.
Give the agent the basics
Your 11-digit Central Hudson account number, current service address, expected move-out date and a forwarding address for the final bill and any deposit refund.
Confirm the meter-read date
For a smart meter, the read happens remotely on your stated move-out date. For an older drive-by or manual meter, schedule a visit window; you do not need to be home for an outdoor meter.
Cancel your ESCO separately
Call your ESCO directly to terminate the supply contract. Closing the Central Hudson account ends the consolidated billing, but does not automatically waive the ESCO's early-termination fee.
Meter-read date matters, and ESCO termination is the trap
The meter-read date determines what you actually pay. Your last Central Hudson bill is calculated from the meter read on the day you close service. Two things follow. First, schedule the read as close to your physical move-out as possible: every extra day you stay on the account is an extra day of billed usage, including the daily basic service charge. Second, if you cannot schedule a read on the exact day, ask Central Hudson to use a customer-provided self-read from the meter at handover (take a clear photo with a timestamp); this avoids an estimated read that you have to dispute later. Smart meters (most of the Central Hudson footprint) read remotely and remove this risk.
ESCO termination is a separate cancellation, period. When you close your Central Hudson account, the consolidated billing relationship with the ESCO ends, but the supply contract you signed with the ESCO does not. If the ESCO contract had a fixed term and you are inside the term, the early-termination fee (typically $100 to $300, sometimes more) can still hit you, usually as a separate bill mailed to your forwarding address. Two protections: (1) call the ESCO directly to terminate as part of your move-out checklist, and ask whether the move constitutes a "qualifying life event" that waives the fee (some contracts do, most do not); (2) keep the email or letter confirmation of cancellation in case the ESCO bills you anyway.
If you are moving inside Central Hudson territory, ask for a transfer, not a close. A transfer keeps your existing account number, your bill payment history, your enrolment status in budget billing or Direct Pay and any deposit you have already paid. A close-and-reopen treats you as a new customer, which can trigger a fresh credit-history review and possibly a new deposit even though you have been a customer for years.
Central Hudson does not charge a service-closure fee. The final bill (including any prorated charges) is mailed to your forwarding address within one billing cycle. Any deposit on file is refunded with accrued interest, applied first to the final balance and then mailed as a check for the remainder.
Are there termination fees?
Central Hudson: no service-closure fee for residential accounts under standard conditions. The final bill simply ends on the meter-read date.
ESCO: depends on the contract. Variable-rate, month-to-month ESCO contracts typically have no early-termination fee. Fixed-term contracts (6, 12 or 24 months) usually have an early-termination fee, commonly disclosed as a flat dollar amount per service or a multiple of monthly usage. Read the original ESCO contract terms before you call to cancel; if you cannot find it, ask the ESCO for a written termination quote in advance.
Some ESCOs waive the fee if you can provide proof of moving out of New York State entirely, or moving to an address outside the ESCO's service footprint. Not all do; the contract is what governs.
Moving inside vs outside Central Hudson territory
Inside Central Hudson
If your new address is in the eight-county Central Hudson footprint (Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, Putnam, Columbia, Greene, Sullivan, southern Albany), ask Central Hudson for a service transfer rather than a close-and-reopen. Same 11-digit account number, same payment history, same deposit on file. Allow 3 business days for the new meter activation.
Read the moving-in details →Outside Central Hudson
Close your Central Hudson account and open a new account with the utility serving your new ZIP code. In New York that means Con Edison (NYC, Westchester), Orange & Rockland (lower Hudson west of the river), NYSEG, National Grid, RG&E or PSEG Long Island. Out of state, search the local utility by ZIP code.
Move-out checklist
- ✓Call Central Hudson at least 3 business days before move-out to schedule the final read.
- ✓Give the agent your account number, the exact move-out date and a forwarding address.
- ✓Take a timestamped photo of the meter on move-out day in case the final read is disputed.
- ✓Cancel your ESCO supply contract separately; ask in writing for confirmation.
- ✓If you have an active deposit, confirm where the refund check will be mailed.
- ✓If you have budget billing or Direct Pay enrolled, ask whether they end automatically or need to be cancelled (Direct Pay needs explicit cancellation).
- ✓If staying inside Central Hudson territory, request a transfer rather than a close.
- ✓Set up service with the destination utility (if outside) with the same 3-business-day lead time.
Common moving-out questions.
Call 1-845-452-2700 at least 3 business days before your move-out date. Provide your 11-digit account number, current service address, move-out date and forwarding address. Central Hudson does not charge a service-closure fee.
No. Closing your Central Hudson account ends the consolidated billing relationship, but the supply contract with your ESCO is a separate agreement. Call the ESCO directly to terminate, and keep the written cancellation confirmation. Fixed-term ESCO contracts may charge an early-termination fee even if you are moving out of state.
For an outdoor or smart meter, no. Central Hudson reads remotely or from outside the property. For an indoor meter (older homes), Central Hudson will schedule a visit window and you (or a designated adult) need to provide access. If you cannot be there, a timestamped photo of the meter at move-out can be used as a self-read.
Your final bill is calculated from the meter read on your move-out date and mailed to your forwarding address within one regular billing cycle (typically 30 to 45 days after move-out). If you had a deposit on file, it is applied first to the final balance and any remainder is refunded by check with accrued interest.
No, ask for a service transfer. A transfer keeps the same account number, the same payment history and any deposit already on file. A close-and-reopen restarts the customer relationship and can trigger a fresh credit check. Allow 3 business days for the new meter activation.
No. Residential service closure is free under standard conditions. The only fees that may appear are unpaid balance, any prorated final usage and (rarely) charges for after-hours meter visits. Any ESCO early-termination fee is billed separately by the ESCO.
Close your Central Hudson account in full and open service with the destination state's utility. Confirm your ESCO cancellation in writing, with proof of the new out-of-state address. Some ESCOs waive the early-termination fee for an out-of-state move, but only if the contract explicitly says so.
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