O&R, Rockland Electric Company Begin Work Put On Hold Due to COVID-19

Orange and Rockland Media Relations
Pearl River – June 18, 2020

Orange & Rockland (O&R) and Rockland Electric Company crews have been working throughout this health crisis responding to emergency calls, performing safety-related inspections, addressing customer issues, and conducting the critical work needed to prepare and protect the grid for the stresses of summer.

Consistent with customer preferences prioritizing the health and safety of the public and their workforce, O&R and Rockland Electric will incrementally resume the work that was put on pause in response to the rapid spread of the pandemic.

Beginning with work that requires little-to-no interaction with customers, crews will resume gas main replacement and service work, reading meters and installing smart meters on the exterior of buildings or in public areas such as common basements. O&R and Rockland Electric crews and contractors will observe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health guidelines.

Customers will receive notification in advance of their smart meter being installed and have the option of rescheduling the work if they prefer.

To prepare for this summer’s peak demands for electricity, O&R and Rockland Electric have made investments totaling over $140 million this year to fortify and improve the reliability of their electric system. That investment builds on the nearly $1 billion they have invested over the past 10 years on electric system maintenance and reliability projects.

Also, since the pandemic began, O&R and Rockland Electric have contributed approximately $40,000 to 13 organizations that feed the hungry. That total includes a $30,000 grant in April that was divided equally among three outstanding local advocates for the hungry: The Center for Food Action (CFA) in Bergen County, NJ, People to People in Rockland County, NY and the Community Foundation for Orange and Sullivan, Inc. (CFOS) in Orange and Sullivan counties, NY.

Like so many New Yorkers, more than 600 O&R and Rockland Electric employees have made the transition to work from home to serve customers. The company is proud to have been able to meet the energy needs of its customers seamlessly through this pandemic.

O&R and Rockland Electric will resume important customer-focused services, including walk-in service centers and energy efficiency visits to homes and businesses, as circumstances allow in the coming months.

Customers can manage their accounts via www.oru.com/myaccount. To get the most recent information about payment assistance, O&R and Rockland Electric are directing their customers to visit www.oru.com and click on the Payment Assistance button under the coronavirus panel on the homepage.

Customer also can find great energy savings tips on the O&R/Rockland Electric website www.oru.com/save.

Customers are urged to remain aware of scammers who are:

Visiting, e-mailing, or calling about outstanding bills or disconnecting service.
O&R and Rockland Electric are not going to shut off your gas or electric service now even if you can’t pay your bill.
Asking for money for "new meters because of coronavirus.” O&R and Rockland Electric don’t charge customers to install smart meters.
Asking for payment by pre-paid card, cash apps such as Venmo, or bitcoin.
O&R and Rockland Electric do not accept these payment methods.

Company crews will only enter your home or business for emergencies, safety reasons and upon your request for critical issues, including turning on service. If someone claims to be from O&R or Rockland Electric, call 1-877-434-4100 and check the employee’s name and ID.