With energy bills at an all-time high across the nation, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that 2.5 million more New York households are now eligible to receive discounts on their utility bills.
Hochul, alongside elected officials, visited BronxWorks on Oct. 1 to encourage older seniors to enroll in the state’s Energy Affordability Program.
“Today we’re here to talk about how they can reduce their energy costs,” Hochul said. “I worked hard so they can expand the eligibility for the program that would literally cap how much you have to pay for utilities to 6% or less.”
The state Energy Affordability Program provides monthly electric and natural gas bill discounts that will lower energy costs to 6% or less of a household’s income. Income-eligible New Yorkers enrolled in the program can save up hundreds of dollars annually.
Earlier this year, eligibility was expanded for New Yorkers in households below the State Median Income or Area Median Income. Customers served by Con Edison, National Grid NYC, or National Grid Long Island are eligible to receive monthly discounts through the Energy Affordability Program.
The program expanded in January of this year, and the major enrollment period began on September 15, 2026. Currently 1 million households are enrolled in the program and 21,000 additional households have applied in the past two weeks during the enrollment period.
Hochul and elected officials say that this program will help bring more money back in the pockets of New Yorkers as groceries, gas prices and tariffs continue to drive up the cost of living.
“Everything Washington is doing is making it so much harder for families and individuals here. And I am going to make sure that we do everything in our power to fight for our families,” Hochul said.
New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera said this program will give back to New Yorkers who need it most.
“Sometimes you have to make a tough choice about whether you pay electricity bill or your rent or your food bill. So, this is just a way to hopefully be able to save some folks some money,” Rivera said.
According to the Empire Center for Public Policy, New York annual household electricity costs rose to $270, which is the fifth highest in the country. Electricity bills across New York State jumped by roughly fifty percent in the past five years.
In addition to energy prices increases, many New Yorkers have seen cuts to essential federal programs such as SNAP food assistance and Social Security benefits by the Trump administration.
“We have to step up on the state level to try to backheel, but at some point it has to stop. These are our programs that people here and throughout the Bronx voted on, and Donald Trump and the Republican office is just unrelenting at making life harder, making it more expensive,” Hochul said. “As Governor of New York, I want to keep standing in the way and make life easier for our friends here.”
Councilmember Pierina Ana Sanchez of District 14 told the Bronx Times, energy affordability has been one of most recurring topics concerning her constituents.
“Energy has gotten so expensive, and folks around here are one of the lowest income communities in the city, we just simply can’t afford it,” Sanchez said. “So I’m really glad the Governor came to directly tell my constituents and my neighbors that this is a program that they should apply for that could save them money.”
The ultimate goal of the visit was to raise awareness about the Energy Affordability Program, particularly in a community facing a digital divide, and to help seniors apply in person.
“Ultimately, it’s just a way for us in the state to deal with one of the things that is impacting the cost of living, which is energy cost, that people have to deal with on a daily basis,” Rivera said.
