New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced that energy rebate checks of up to $200 will be mailed to 8.2 million New York households starting Sept. 21, as the state moves to provide direct relief to eligible residents facing higher energy costs.
The one-time $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate, or POWER, was included in New York’s FY27 enacted budget. Checks will be mailed through December, and eligible households do not need to apply or sign up. The program provides $200 to joint filers earning under $150,000, $150 to joint filers earning between $150,000 and $300,000, and $100 to single filers earning under $150,000.
Rebate Checks Begin
Eligibility is based on 2024 tax-year information. Recipients must have filed a timely New York State resident income tax return, been a full-time state resident, met the income thresholds and not been claimed as a dependent.
Hochul said the rebate is part of her affordability agenda, citing rising household energy bills and gas prices. In a post on X, she said 8.2 million households would receive $1 billion in energy relief, with checks worth up to $200 starting the following week. In a video accompanying the post, she said high energy bills were leaving New Yorkers “shocked” and urged residents to look for their rebate checks in the mail this fall.
Energy Costs Under Pressure
The state also announced a new RATES Commission to investigate the causes of surging utility bills, utility profits and energy market design as part of Hochul’s broader Energy Affordability Agenda.
New York has provided $7.6 billion in direct utility bill relief to participating households since 2021, according to the governor’s office. The state also says it has committed $1.4 billion to weatherization, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects intended to reduce energy use and bills.
Energy costs have also drawn attention as electricity prices rise in communities hosting data centers. A Georgia Tech study found retail electricity prices rose about 5% in areas after data centers became operational. New York has separately paused new hyperscale data centers using 50 megawatts or more amid concerns about rising utility bills, grid strain and consumer electricity costs.
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