Consolidated Edison
Utilities
39
out of 100. Number 307 of 512, counting from the worst.
Where Consolidated Edison does well
- Arbitration 2 of 20. Few problems found.
- Renewals 2 of 20. Few problems found.
- No forced arbitration or class-action waiver anywhere in the company's public terms — customers keep full court rights, a rarity among large consumer companies.
- Marketing data sharing is opt-out (not opt-in), but the opt-out is genuinely accessible: a direct unsubscribe link, a phone line (1-718-802-6079), and the MyAccount preference center.
- Because Con Edison is a regulated utility, prices come from NYPSC-approved tariffs, so there is no unilateral price gouging; and PSC-mandated consumer protections are strong: no service shutoffs in extreme cold or heat, domestic-violence survivors can exit shared energy contracts without fee, and payment plans and assistance programs are publicized.
- Customers also get a right to request a copy of their energy-use data and correct inaccurate information, and Con Edison maintains an IAPP-aligned privacy program.
If something goes wrong with the My Account third-party access service — for example a glitch or a delayed revocation lets someone misuse your account — the most Con Edison will ever owe you is $10, and your only 'remedy' is to quit using the service.
The fine print
6 clauses and findings from the draft archive, dated 1 October 2026. The plain English comes first; the small print is the company's own words. None of these has been checked yet.
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If something goes wrong with the My Account third-party access service — for example a glitch or a delayed revocation lets someone misuse your account — the most Con Edison will ever owe you is $10, and your only 'remedy' is to quit using the service.
...the maximum aggregate liability of Con Edison for all damages, losses and causes of action, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise, shall be the greater of (a) the total amount, if any, paid by you to Con Edison to use the Service; and (b) ten U.S. Dollars ($10). ... your sole and exclusive remedy for dissatisfaction with the Service, My Account or any Customer Data is to stop using the Service and My Account.
Third Party Access Agreement (Section 13, Limitation of Liability)
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If you authorize a third party (e.g., an energy company or bill-pay service) to access your Con Edison account and they go rogue — acting beyond what you agreed with them — you, not Con Edison, bear the consequences.
You are solely responsible for your Con Edison account and all acts or omissions taken in connection with your Con Edison Account, whether by you or a Representative, and regardless of whether the Representative is acting within the scope of any agreement you may have.
Third Party Access Agreement (Section 2, Customer Authorization)
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Con Edison can cut off your online account access at any time without warning and without needing a reason, and simply continuing to use the service after they post new terms counts as agreeing to them.
Con Edison may terminate or suspend your use of the Service or My Account at any time and without prior notice, for any or no reason... Your use of the Service or My Account, including your continued authorization of the Representative, following any changes to this Agreement will constitute your acceptance of such changes.
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Con Edison can hand your name, address, email, phone, and even your phone's physical location plus which ads you viewed to outside marketing companies — sharing happens by default and you have to actively opt out. Aggregated (de-identified) data can be used for literally any purpose.
We may share information with third-parties to permit them to send marketing communications or information about products and services that may be of interest, consistent with your choices... We may also share your device's physical location, combined with information about what advertisements you viewed and other information we collect, with our marketing partners... we may use and disclose this other information or aggregated information for any purpose.
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Emails and web forms you send to Con Edison can be monitored for 'suspected illegal activity' and handed to government or regulatory agencies.
Any electronic correspondence that you send to Con Edison, including email or any forms that you complete and transmit through our websites, may be monitored for suspected illegal activity and/or shared with regulatory, public or government agencies.
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Declining a smart meter costs you $9.50/month forever plus a one-time fee of ~$105 per electric meter (if you opt out after installation) — and if they can't reach your meter four times, Con Edison can install one anyway at its own discretion.
I also agree to pay the following charges: A meter reading charge of $9.50 per month. A fee of $104.74 per electric meter and $93.81 per gas meter if I choose to opt out after smart metering has been installed... Additionally, I understand that Con Edison has the right to install an automated meter reading device or smart meter at its discretion if the company is unable to obtain access for four consecutive meter reading attempts.
How these were found
Third Party Access Agreement last updated August 6, 2024 (per the 'Last Updated' legend on the page). The Privacy Statement carries no version date on the page itself. The Smart Meter Opt-Out Application PDF is undated. Note: coned.com has no standalone consumer 'Terms of Use' page — the site's terms-of-use URL redirects to the Third Party Access Agreement, so website terms beyond that document were not available. As a regulated New York utility, Con Edison's prices and most service terms come from NYPSC-approved tariffs rather than company-drafted contracts, which inherently limits how 'sneaky' the company can be on pricing — the score reflects this structural constraint. No mirrors were needed; all documents were read directly from coned.com.
These notes come from the original draft and are not independent verification.