New York energy rebate payments reach 3 million households, with 5.2 million more on the way

Up to $200 checks are heading to 8.2 million New Yorkers

Information from the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

Gov. Kathy Hochul said 3 million New Yorkers have already received energy rebate checks worth as much as $200, and another 5.2 million checks will be mailed in the coming weeks.

Hochul said the rebate program is one part of a broader effort to help families cope with higher costs. She pointed to the state’s ratepayer protection plan, expanded access to utility bill discount programs, efforts to increase affordable child care, an expanded child tax credit, middle-class tax cuts, and other measures.

The enacted budget set aside a one-time $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate, or POWER, to provide relief amid federal tariffs that have pushed up the cost of living and the war in Iran, which has sent gasoline prices higher.

Under the POWER program, joint filers with incomes below $150,000 receive $200, while joint filers earning between $150,000 and $300,000 receive $150. Single filers with incomes under $150,000 receive $100. Mailings began in late September and will continue through the end of the year. In total, 8.2 million New Yorkers are set to receive checks.

No application or sign-up is required. The state Tax Department is mailing checks automatically to eligible residents. More information is available at the state tax department’s energy rebate page.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said rising everyday costs, including health care and groceries, have hit households hard nationwide, and energy costs have been no exception. He said New York families face some of the highest utility rates in the country, creating financial pressure, and that is why the Assembly majority pushed to make the one-time $1 billion POWER rebate happen.

Hochul has also launched a new enrollment campaign to help more households save hundreds of dollars a year on utility bills through the state’s Energy Affordability Program. Since that effort began in mid-September, 50,000 more households have submitted applications to their utilities. The program already provides monthly discounts to about 1 million households statewide, and state officials estimate roughly 2.5 million additional households are eligible but not enrolled. More information about EAP and how to apply is available on the state’s website.

In addition, Hochul’s enacted budget for fiscal year 2027 changed utility rules and placed New York families ahead of large energy companies. The overhaul centers on keeping energy affordable. Utilities may not pass along the costs of lobbying, public relations campaigns, political donations, or luxury travel to ratepayers. Utility chief executives will have their pay tied to meeting energy affordability goals established by the Public Service Commission, and any excess utility profits will be returned to customers.