New York state is spending $1 billion on energy rebates for eligible residents.
When Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders reached a deal on a $268 billion state budget, it included energy rebate checks for 8.2 million eligible New York taxpayers. The one-time Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) credits aim to help offset the rising cost of gas and electric bills.
“We know New Yorkers need some relief,” Hochul said. “They need utility relief. The bills are just getting higher and higher, and it is so discouraging for our families.”
According to The Gothamist, eligible New Yorkers will not have to apply for the rebate. They’ll automatically receive the checks between September and December this year.
The Democrat & Chronicle reports anyone who was a full-time New York resident in 2024 and filed a timely tax return will be eligible if they had a state adjusted gross income below $300,000 for joint filers, or below $150,000 for single filers or married but filed separately. Anyone claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer will not be eligible.
Here’s a full breakdown of who qualifies and how much money they’ll receive:
• Single filers with incomes up to $150,000 will receive $100.
• Married filers with incomes between $150,000 and $300,000 will receive $150.
• Married joint filers or surviving spouse filers with incomes up to $150,000 will receive $200.
National Grid customers in Upstate New York saw utility bills increase 26% in February 2026, compared to a year earlier. Costs got even worse as brutally cold weather spiked consumption, raising concerns about the state’s electric grid needs.
More than 8 million people are expected to be eligible for the rebate checks if they filed taxes on time last year, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Checks will be automatically issued using data from 2024 tax returns.
Hochul first announced the proposed rebate checks when a budget agreement was reached in early May. The last of the state’s policy bills, including taxes, housing, immigration reform and financial aid for Syracuse, was passed by the state Senate and Assembly on Wednesday.
The state budget was originally due April 1.