New Program to Keep Money in New Yorkers’ Pockets

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Public Service Commission approved a request by the New York Power Authority to establish the Renewable Energy Access and Community Help program to provide electric bill credits for low-income households in disadvantaged communities across the state. The new program stems from NYPA’s expanded authority to develop, own and operate renewable energy generating projects—either alone or in collaboration with other entities—granted in last year’s State Budget.

“My administration remains steadfast in supporting that New York State remains an affordable place to live and do business,” Governor Hochul said. “The NYPA REACH program will help ensure that low-income New Yorkers in disadvantaged communities will not be left behind as we make the critical transition to a clean-energy economy.”

New York State Public Service Commission Chair Rory M. Christian said, “The PSC fights every day to protect the interests of consumers, and the program approved today is one step in that fight. Authorizing the implementation of the REACH program allows NYPA to make progress toward the State's clean energy goals and ensures low-income customers in disadvantaged communities have access to renewable energy and directly benefit from NYPA's new program.”

New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “REACH will directly benefit low-income electric ratepayers in disadvantaged communities using renewable generation from distributed energy sources in their communities or from large-scale renewable projects located throughout the state’s electric power grid. The bill credits will be funded from a portion of revenues from new renewable energy generation projects developed by NYPA and designated for REACH.”

Today, the PSC established a regulatory framework to allow electric utilities to receive funds from the Power Authority to credit the electric bills of low-income ratepayers in disadvantaged communities. New York Power Authority (NYPA) had requested that the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) adopt the Renewable Energy Access and Community Help (REACH) program utilizing the same structure as the Energy Affordability Program (EAP) and as the Statewide Solar for All program, which Governor Hochul announced in this year’s State of the State and approved by the PSC earlier this year. The use of existing regulatory structures will lower costs for program administration and ultimately allow for more funds to be received by low-income ratepayers.

To align with the implementation of the Statewide Solar for All program, the PSC directed that the electric utilities initially enroll EAP eligible low-income customers within disadvantaged communities, and as more resources come online, expand enrollment to all low-income and moderate-income customers, regardless of location to align with the implementation of the Statewide Solar for All program.

NYPA will implement REACH with DPS Staff and the utilities according to the order, including arrangements to fund REACH bill credits as project revenues become available. Once the REACH framework is established, NYPA plans to confer with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to implement REACH within LIPA’s service territory.