Gov. Hochul announces how New Yorkers can receive discounts on utility bills

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 two 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 and Nassau County can benefit from the program. 

The program could help New Yorkers save hundreds per year with discounts, 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. They will do targeted digital advertising and work with state agencies to use mail, email and texts to inform more residents about the program. 

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.