Cancelling service: 4 steps
Plan 7 days lead time
National Grid asks for a week's notice. Less is sometimes possible but risks an estimated-read final bill.
Submit the stop request
Easiest: log in to your online account and use the Stop Service request. By phone: 1-800-642-4272 upstate, 718-643-4050 NYC, 1-800-930-5003 LI, Mon-Fri 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Have ready: account number, service address, move-out date.
Handle your ESCO separately
National Grid does not cancel your ESCO when it closes your delivery account. Call the ESCO directly to end or transfer the supply contract. Read the next section before you sign anything.
Settle the final bill + leave a forwarding address
National Grid mails the final bill 4 to 6 weeks after the closing read. Make sure they have your forwarding address; an unpaid final bill goes to collections and lands on your credit report.
ESCO early termination fee (ETF): three rules of thumb
- ·Fixed-rate contracts usually carry an ETF if cancelled before the term ends. It can be a flat $100 to $200 or a per-month-remaining figure. A move out of NY is sometimes a waiver event; ask explicitly.
- ·Variable-rate (auto-renew) contracts have no ETF most of the time. But because the rate has likely drifted above National Grid default, switching back before the move can save you money in the final weeks.
- ·The April 2026 PSC ESCO settlement tightened disclosure rules and made it easier to exit auto-renewed variable contracts. If your ESCO refuses to cancel cleanly, file a complaint with the NY PSC at dps.ny.gov.
Moving within National Grid territory? One call handles both ends
If you are moving from one National Grid address to another (for example Buffalo to Syracuse, both upstate), do not open a brand-new account. Call the same customer service line and request a service transfer. National Grid stops the old account on the move-out date and opens the new account on the move-in date in one transaction.
You will need to provide:
- ·Your National Grid account number;
- ·Current address and move-out date;
- ·Future address and move-in date;
- ·Any updated phone or email contact details.
Frequently asked questions
7 days is the recommended notice. Less can work if the meter is straightforward, but increases the risk of an estimated final read.
No. The final bill prorates the closing month and is mailed 4 to 6 weeks after the closing read. Make sure National Grid has your forwarding address.
You pay for it. National Grid will not retroactively split the bill. Always close the account on or before move-out.
Sometimes. Many ESCOs waive the ETF for verified moves out of NY (lease, closing docs). Some waive only for active military deployment. Ask in writing and keep the response.
Call National Grid immediately and explain. They may be able to back-date the closing read using the new tenant's opening read.
More U.S. states with energy choice
Same playbook, different utility. Pick another deregulated state to compare utilities, suppliers and switching rules.
