BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Gov. Hochul announced Thursday that 478,000 residential customers and 56,000 small businesses across the state will receive $672 million in assistance to pay off past-due utility bills.
The announcement comes just a week after Hochul's State of the State address where she promised to address energy affordability and emissions reductions.
"Every New Yorker deserves affordable energy, yet too many New Yorkers are at risk of having their lights turned off due to financial problems caused by the pandemic," Hochul said. "Earlier this month, I laid out extensive proposals to make energy more affordable in my State of the State address, and with this historic electric and gas utility relief we're achieving another major milestone to help New Yorkers stay warm during the cold winter months."
The debt-forgiveness program will not only provide financial relief to customers, but it will also help avoid termination of service for many New Yorkers.
The one-time credits will provide relief to these customers for the period through May 1, 2022.
In an initiative separate from the Thursday announcement, Hochul also announced $200 million in relief for electric bills as a discount to over 800,000 New Yorkers making under $75,000 who weren't eligible for the State's current utility discount program.
