RG&E serves customers throughout a nine-county region centered in Rochester and delivers both electricity and natural gas services as part of AVANGRID’s New York utilities.

A major part of RG&E’s work is strengthening and modernizing core infrastructure—transmission lines, substations, and distribution networks—so the system remains reliable as energy demand, electrification, and clean-energy integration continue to grow across the region.

RG&E’s electric system includes over 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines and about 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines, supported by hundreds of substations—and its natural gas system includes over 10,600 miles of gas distribution pipelines plus 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. (These figures describe the scale of the network RG&E operates and maintains for homes and businesses.)

RG&E is also deploying smart meters (advanced meters) across its service area as part of a modernization effort intended to improve visibility into energy use and support operational improvements (deployment timing can vary by neighborhood).

To support customers—especially during high-usage months—RG&E also provides customer tools such as budgeting options, alerts, and billing-related assistance, including situations where customers are on payment arrangements.

Utility bills can also increase significantly during extreme weather conditions due to higher energy usage, especially during the coldest winter months or periods of extreme heat in the summer. Colder temperatures lead to increased energy consumption as heating systems work harder, and the average temperature during winter months can significantly affect energy usage and utility bills. Similarly, during months of extreme heat, energy usage typically increases due to the use of air conditioning systems. Supply costs on utility bills are influenced by third-party energy suppliers and can fluctuate dramatically from month to month and year to year, reflecting both short-term and annual trends in the energy market.

RG&E in the Community

RG&E (Rochester Gas and Electric) is a regulated utility that delivers electricity and natural gas service to customers across a nine-county region centered in Rochester, New York. RG&E maintains and upgrades local infrastructure—such as transmission and distribution lines, substations, and other electric equipment—to keep service reliable for homes, families, and businesses throughout the region.

Community engagement is an important part of RG&E’s work in the communities it serves. The company supports local organizations and community needs through initiatives like Project SHARE, which helps income-eligible customers and families who need bill-payment assistance.

As part of customer support, RG&E also offers payment arrangements (including payment agreements/deferred payment agreements) for eligible customers to help manage balances and reduce the risk of service interruption. Customers should use RG&E’s official website and customer tools for account support, outage updates, and program information.

RG&E continues to focus on modernization and responsible service—working to improve reliability, respond to outages, and support New York’s evolving energy goals through utility planning and investment across its Rochester-centered service area.