A 15% supply discount is not 15% off your bill.
In National Grid territory, supply is roughly 45 to 55% of a residential bill. A 15% discount on supply is about 7 to 8% off the total. Delivery, the customer charge and the riders never move when you switch suppliers — they stay on every bill no matter what.
Knowing this changes how you compare offers. Always compute the dollar saving on YOUR usage, not just the per-kWh rate.
Every line, decoded.
| Line on your bill | What it pays for | Who sets it | Shoppable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity supply | The kWh you used, priced by your supplier | National Grid default or your ESCO | Yes |
| Delivery (per kWh) | Moving power from the grid to your meter | NY PSC via the National Grid tariff | No |
| Customer charge | Flat monthly fee for meter + service drop + billing | NY PSC | No |
| System Benefits Charge | Funds NYSERDA efficiency & assistance programs | NY PSC | No |
| Clean Energy Standard | Funds the state renewable-energy build-out | NY PSC | No |
| Earnings Adjustment Mechanism | PSC-set performance incentive for the utility | NY PSC | No |
| Gross Receipts Tax | NY state tax on utility receipts | NY legislature | No |
| Sales tax | State and local sales tax (varies by county) | State + local | No |
Rider names occasionally change after a rate case. The categories above stay roughly constant.
A National Grid Upstate bill at 600 kWh / month.
These are illustrative figures for orientation only — your exact bill depends on your tariff and the current riders.
- Supply (600 kWh × default rate)
- ~$55
- Delivery (600 kWh × delivery rate)
- ~$56
- Customer charge
- ~$18
- Riders (SBC, CES, EAM, etc.)
- ~$7
- Taxes
- ~$4
- Total
- ~$140
Common questions about National Grid bills.
Every NY bill has a delivery half (your utility moves the power, regulated by the PSC) and a supply half (the energy itself, either from National Grid default service or from an ESCO). Only the supply half is shoppable.
A flat monthly fee that pays for the meter, the drop line to your house and the billing system. You pay it even at zero usage. The PSC approves the exact amount in each rate case.
Riders fund state policy: the System Benefits Charge (energy-efficiency programs), Renewable Portfolio Standard / Clean Energy Standard, and the Earnings Adjustment Mechanism. They are volumetric (per kWh), so heavier users pay more.
If you are on National Grid default service, your supply rate is auctioned monthly and tracks the wholesale market. It can rise or fall every billing cycle. If you want a stable price, switch to a fixed-rate ESCO that is post-2023 Reset compliant.
Your bill shows the previous reading and the current reading. The difference is your usage in kWh (for electric) or therms / CCF (for gas). Multiply by the rates shown and you should arrive at the total — within a few cents.
Call National Grid customer service at 1-800-642-4272. If you suspect a billing error and they will not resolve it, the NY PSC complaint line is 1-800-342-3377.
Keep learning
More U.S. states with energy choice
Same playbook, different utility. Pick another deregulated state to compare utilities, suppliers and switching rules.
