A little-noticed fee on Con Ed bills goes to finance energy efficiency projects throughout New York State, but a Times analysis of how the money gets distributed found that a disproportionate amount of NYC dollars gets out of town. The so-called SBC [System Benefits Charge] typically amounts to about a dollar a month for the average NYC Con Ed customer. According to the Times, local Con Ed customers paid half of the state's total SBC charges over the past decade, while about 59% percent of the rebates, loans and other benefits handed out by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority went to fund projects outside of the metropolitan area. more ›