Avangrid Launches AI Energy Assistant to Enhance Customer Satisfaction and Experience

Now available for customers of Avangrid’s New York subsidiaries, NYSEG and RG&E

Feature will roll out in Maine and Connecticut later this year

ORANGE, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and a member of the Iberdrola Group, announced today that it has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) pilot aimed at enhancing customer service at its utility subsidiaries. Ava, an AI energy assistant, is now available for customers of Avangrid’s New York subsidiaries, New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E). The company plans to roll out this new feature at its subsidiaries in Maine (Central Maine Power) and Connecticut (United Illuminating) as well later this year.

“We work every day to provide our customers with exceptional service,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “As communications become more digitized, we’ve expanded how our customers can interact with us by putting a greater emphasis on digital tools. With the evolving customer service landscape, this energy assistant serves as an additional offering to serve their needs.”

The pilot project is part of Avangrid’s commitment to provide cutting edge technology to increase customer satisfaction and experience. To start, Ava will be focused on answering commonly asked questions for inquiries surrounding bill balance, bill delays, payment arrangement or budget billing, meter reading, understanding your bill, the service start or end process, power outage support, and MyAccount assistance. The goal is to provide customers with an avenue to receive quick answers while also decreasing wait times for the company’s call center for customers with more complex questions or situations.

“Over the last two years, we’ve been focused on increasing our digital offerings for customers because we know that’s a service today’s customers expect,” said Craig Paterson, senior director of customer experience and digital transformation at Avangrid. “I’m very proud of work we’ve done so far—we’ve increased participation in our eBill program to 1.28 million customers, we’ve introduced a new mobile-digital payments interface, and we’re receiving top reviews on our mobile apps. This energy assistant is the next frontier to drive customer satisfaction. As this pilot continues, the next phase will be evolving Ava to answer our customers’ more complex questions.”

NYSEG and RG&E customers can find Ava on their respective company’s website homepage in the bottom right-hand corner. Once customers click the green speech bubble icon, Ava will automatically ask how it can help.

About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $45 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.