Our Life Support Protection Program provides special, personalized benefits and services for customers prescribed life-sustaining equipment. Benefits and services include communication during major storms, notification of planned outages, critical contact texting service and assistance with bills during financial hardship.

If you or someone in your household uses electrically powered, life-sustaining equipment, you may be eligible for our life-sustaining equipment identification program. Please complete Section I and make sure your doctor completes and signs Section II before returning your completed survey to us at: RG&E, 180 S. Clinton Ave., Rochester NY 14604.

Download our form

We will specifically tag your meter and code your account to indicate the presence of life-sustaining equipment. Before any planned electrical outage, we will notify you so you can make alternate arrangements.



To get notifications, enroll in the Life Support Protection Program.

For unplanned electrical outages such as during a storm, we will make every effort to restore service to you as soon as possible. We recommend that you have plans for providing your own backup energy or relocate in emergency situations. We’ll also keep you updated on power restoration efforts if the duration of an outage extends beyond 24 hours and we advise you to enroll in our alerts.



To get notifications, enroll in the Life Support Protection Program.

Our enhanced texting service provides you with a convenient and easy way to communicate with us during a storm. This opportunity allows us to text you in preparation for a storm and make sure you are safe. Please ensure we have your mobile phone number on file so we can reach you. You can provide it by calling 585.771.6881 Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by emailing us at criticalcontact@rge.com.

To get on our critical contact list, fill out our form. To stay informed on storm status, restoration times and to report an outage by text, sign up for Outage Alerts.

Our Friendly Reminder Third Party Notification service offers you extra peace of mind. A friend, agency or organization you choose will receive a copy of any important notices we may send to you. Interested? Print, complete and send us this Third Party Notification Service form.

If you use a telephone (TTY) device in your home, just dial 711 and ask the New York Relay Service operator to contact us at 800.743.2110.

For customers who prefer to speak a language other than English, we offer interpreter services when you call us at 800.743.2110.

With one call to 800.743.2110, you can place your bill on hold for 30 days if you or a household member is hospitalized.

Your bill and our EnergyLines newsletter are available in large print at no charge. Call us at 800.743.2110 to receive your bill in a larger format.

If you're 62 or older, blind or disabled and live in a household where ALL members are older adults, blind, disabled or under 18, you may qualify for additional protections under New York State law. These include special efforts to maintain your service. 

We will contact you at least three (3) days before a disconnection for nonpayment to work with you on a fair payment plan. If an agreement cannot be reached, we will notify the Department of Social Services and will continue your service for another 15 days. If your service is disconnected, we will try to contact you again within 10 days to offer a plan to restore service.

If you qualify, please call us at 800.743.2110.

If you are 62 years of age or older and you meet guidelines specified by New York State law, you may pay your bill on a quarterly basis rather than each month. To qualify, you must be a residential customer whose annual billing is $150 or less. If you meet this requirement, please call us at 800.743.2110.

211 New York can connect you to services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (including holidays). Agents can connect you to the information and services you need and the call is free and confidential. You can learn more about this service, including if it is available in your area, by visiting 211nys.org.