BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Somewhere in Flatbush this week, an envelope from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance is sitting between a takeout menu and a supermarket circular. State Senator Kevin S. Parker, Chair of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, wants every eligible family in his district to open it.
The envelope holds a check from the state’s $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) program. Governor Kathy Hochul announced on October 15 that 3 million New Yorkers have already received their checks, with another 5.2 million on the way and mailings continuing through December. Senator Parker was among the officials quoted in the Governor’s announcement.
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“The POWER rebates offer timely relief as New Yorkers prepare for winter heating costs,” Senator Parker said in the announcement. “Every dollar spent on rising energy bills is a dollar families need for groceries, rent and other essentials. Our responsibility is to keep energy affordable through direct assistance, meaningful oversight of utility rates and accountability for how ratepayer dollars are spent.”
Who Gets a Check
No application is needed, and no one has to send in an energy bill. The state mails checks automatically to New Yorkers who filed a 2024 New York State resident income tax return on time (by April 15, 2025, or by October 15, 2025, with an extension), lived in New York for all of 2024, and were not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return. Amounts are based on 2024 New York adjusted gross income:
- Married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse, $150,000 or less: $200
- Married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse, $150,001 to $300,000: $150
- Single, head of household, or married filing separately, $150,000 or less: $100
Checks go to the most recent address on file with the Tax Department.
Guard the Check
POWER checks arrive by mail only, with no direct deposit option, so no one needs a bank account number, Social Security number, or fee to release one. Senator Parker asks residents to treat any call, text, email, or knock at the door asking for that information as a scam, and to pass the reminder along at church, at the barbershop, and in the family group chat.
Help for Families Without a Check
Households that did not file a 2024 state return on time will not receive a POWER check. That gap often reaches seniors on fixed incomes and workers whose earnings fell below the filing requirement. Senator Parker is pointing those families to the state’s Energy Affordability Program (EAP), which provides monthly discounts on electric and gas bills for eligible households and can save them as much as $500 a year. About 1 million households statewide already receive the discount, and state officials estimate another 2.5 million are eligible but not enrolled. Residents can learn more at dps.ny.gov or call Senator Parker’s district office at 718-629-6401 for help.
Holding Energy Companies Accountable
The checks arrive alongside new ratepayer protections in this year’s state budget. Energy companies can no longer pass the costs of lobbying, public relations campaigns, political donations, or luxury travel on to customers, and excess profits will return to ratepayers. If a rate case pushes the average household’s energy burden above 6 percent, the state can place an independent Affordability Monitor inside that company’s boardroom. The budget also establishes the RATES Commission to take on rising energy costs.
For full POWER check details, visit tax.ny.gov and search “energy rebate check.”
