On the heels of a News 12 The Bronx investigation into alleged price-fixing by Con Edison, the utility is lauding its new billing model.

But will it lower customers' bills?

Con Ed says that to help customers, it is rolling out a new billing model in February 2010 that'll allow it to charge based on an actual or monthly cost instead of using a three-month forecasted rate.

For example, if Con Ed pays 5 cents per kilowatt for electricity in a given month, customers will have a 5 cent per kilowatt supply charge, plus taxes and delivery fees.

Con Ed stresses that the new billing model won't guarantee cheaper rates, but will reflect real-time market prices rather than an averaged estimate.