About 3 million New Yorkers have received energy rebate checks of up to $200, with another 5.2 million checks expected to be sent in the coming weeks, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.
The one-time payments are part of the state’s $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) program. Checks began going out Sept. 21 and will continue to be mailed through December.
BACKGROUND: Millions of New Yorkers to receive energy rebate checks up to $200
Payment amounts are based on income and filing status from 2024 state income tax returns:
Joint filers earning less than $150,000 will receive $200.Joint filers earning between $150,000 and $300,000 will receive $150.Single filers earning less than $150,000 will receive $100.
Eligible recipients must have been full-time New York residents in 2024, filed a timely state income tax return and not been claimed as dependents on someone else’s return.
No application is required. The state Tax Department is automatically mailing checks to eligible New Yorkers.
“Our energy rebate checks are just one of many ways we’re helping families address rising costs,” Hochul said in a statement.
The governor also highlighted the state’s Energy Affordability Program, which provides monthly utility bill discounts to eligible households.
According to Hochul’s office, about 50,000 households have applied since a statewide enrollment push began in mid-September. The program currently serves approximately 1 million households, with an estimated 2.5 million more eligible but not enrolled.
MORE: 2.5 million New York households eligible for utility bill discounts
Click here for more information about the rebate checks. Click here for details about utility bill assistance.