2 million more New Yorkers can receive discounts on utility bills. Here's how.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to notify New Yorkers of an expanded program that could get them discounts on utility bills.

The governor held a news conference Tuesday morning to announce more than 2 million more households are eligible for the state's Energy Affordability Program.

One million households across the state are already enrolled, but Hochul said more families are eligible due to a recent expansion of the program.

"Right now, 2.5 million eligible New Yorkers are leaving money on the table, and I'm on a mission to help keep the lights on and costs down by launching an all-of-government push to get them enrolled in this money-saving program," she said.

In January, Hochul's administration announced that New York households below the state median income or below the area median income in New York City, Westchester County and Nassau County can benefit from the program. 

The program could help New Yorkers save hundreds per year with discounts, Hochul said.

"Here in New York City, a family of four earning $162,000 or less would be able to qualify. If you live alone, you can earn up to $113,000 and still qualify. So that adds up to hundreds of dollars a year," Hochul said.

Some households are automatically enrolled based on their participation in other programs, but many other households can enroll by applying online.

Hochul said she is directing the Department of Public Service to start a new enrollment push over the coming weeks and months. It will do targeted digital advertising and work with state agencies to use mail, email and texts to inform more residents about the program.

Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has his own utilities plan

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is running against Hochul in November, called the rebates political peanuts.

"As governor, I will cut your utility bills in half. We will get rid of the green energy scam, and we will open up our own natural gas resource that we have here in abundance in New York state," Blakeman said.

Blakeman blames the Democrats for high utility bills in New York, while Hochul blames President Trump for utility prices nationwide.

"Our utility rates are 70% higher, 70%, 70% higher than the national average," Blakeman said.

"Donald Trump said, when he's running for office, utility bills will go down, energy costs will go [down] by half when [he's] elected. It's really funny that Bruce Blakeman is using the exact same words," Hochul said.

NYS energy rebate checks to start coming Monday

All of this comes just one day after Hochul said some 8.2 million households will start receiving energy rebate checks worth up to $200 starting next week.

They will start being mailed out Monday and will continue to be sent through December.

New Yorkers don't need to sign up or apply to receive the rebate. They're being automatically sent to residents who filed their 2024 state tax return on time, were full-time residents of the state, had a qualifying household income, and were not claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return.