8 min read • Updated October 2026 • By the CliQ Team — the team that created Blink
Why are New York electric rates going up? Mostly the cost of the electricity itself. New York's average wholesale power price nearly doubled in 2025, from $41.81 to $74.40 per megawatt-hour, as natural gas, a main fuel for the state's power plants, more than doubled in price, according to NYISO, the state's grid operator. The average residential rate went from 26.22 to 29.90 cents per kilowatt-hour between July 2025 and July 2026, up 14%, according to the EIA. Heating oil is up about 70% on top of that.
The help is bigger than most people realize. New York's Energy Affordability Program now covers a family of four earning up to $162,000 in New York City and $133,609 upstate, and regular HEAP opens November 2. Here's what's driving the increase, where each utility stands, how to get help, and the part of the bill you control.
Why New York Electric Rates Jumped
A New York electric bill has two big parts. Supply is the electricity itself, and its price is set in wholesale markets run by NYISO, based on demand and what it costs to produce power. Delivery pays your utility for the poles, wires, and meters, and those rates are set by the Public Service Commission (PSC). WTEN in Albany had NYISO walk through the difference.
Video by WTEN via YouTube, February 2026. Not affiliated with CliQ.
This year's jump came mostly from supply. In a February 2026 white paper, NYISO laid out why:
- Natural gas got expensive. The average gas price at the hub that serves downstate New York was about 120% higher in 2025 than in 2024. Gas is a main fuel for New York's power plants, so higher gas prices show up directly in the electricity price.
- Old plants are retiring faster than new ones arrive. Since 2019, 4,315 megawatts of generating capacity have retired and only 2,274 megawatts have been added.
- Demand is growing. NYISO expects more than 2,500 megawatts of new demand from data centers and semiconductor plants by 2035, on top of growth from electric heating and vehicles.
- Cold weather and supply chains. Cold snaps spike demand and gas prices at the same time, and equipment delays slow new projects.
Heating oil is its own story. The average price in New York State was $3.72 a gallon this time last year. It's now $6.27, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). That matters most in homes that still heat with oil.
The short version: the PSC trimmed utility delivery requests hard this year. The bigger swing came from supply, which follows the price of natural gas.
Con Ed, NYSEG, and RG&E: What Changed This Year
Con Edison (New York City and Westchester)
In January 2026, the PSC adopted a three-year rate plan for Con Edison. Average electric bills go up 3.5% in 2026, 3.2% in 2027, and 3.1% in 2028. Average gas bills go up 4.4%, 5.7%, and 5.6% over the same years. The PSC cut Con Ed's first-year electric delivery request by more than $1.37 billion, about 87%. Those percentages cover delivery. Supply costs move separately, with the wholesale market.
NYSEG and RG&E (upstate)
NYSEG and RG&E asked for much larger increases. If approved in full, average total bills would have gone up 23.7% for NYSEG electric customers, 33.5% for NYSEG gas, 26% for RG&E electric, and 22.2% for RG&E gas. In May, the PSC instead set temporary rates starting June 1, 2026, with total bill impacts of 0.2% for NYSEG electric, 1.7% for NYSEG gas, 2.9% for RG&E electric, and 1.2% for RG&E gas. The PSC says final rates will be decided in the coming months.
Shopping for supply. New Yorkers can also buy supply from an energy service company (ESCO) instead of their utility. If you're approached with an offer, compare it to your utility's current supply price, and check the contract length, whether the rate is fixed or variable, and any cancellation fee. For how New York compares nationally, see which states have the highest electricity rates.
HEAP NY and Other Help Paying Your Bill
Demand for help is climbing fast. New York's community action association told WTEN it expects need to triple this year, and walked through what's available.
Video by WTEN via YouTube, October 2026. Not affiliated with CliQ.
Regular HEAP: opens November 2, 2026
One benefit per season, paid directly to your heating vendor. The base benefit is $990 if you heat with oil, kerosene, or propane, $700 for wood, pellets, coal, or other delivered fuel, and $400 for electric or natural gas heat, with add-ons for the lowest-income households and for homes with someone under 6, 60 or older, or permanently disabled. The gross income limit is $3,563 a month for one person and $6,852 a month for a household of four. You may also qualify if you get SNAP, Temporary Assistance, or Code A SSI. Apply at myBenefits.ny.gov or through your local department of social services. Benefits depend on federal funding being released to the state.
Emergency HEAP, repairs, and clean-and-tune
Emergency HEAP opens January 4, 2027, for households whose heat is shut off or about to be, or who are nearly out of fuel. It pays up to $990 for oil, kerosene, or propane. Homeowners can also get up to $4,000 to repair or $8,000 to replace a broken furnace or boiler, and up to $500 for a clean-and-tune of their heating system. Both opened October 1. Contact your local HEAP office.
Energy Affordability Program: a monthly discount, now for the middle class too
The EAP knocks a set amount off your utility bill every month, worth up to $500 a year. HEAP and Temporary Assistance households are enrolled automatically. Since January 2026, households below state median income, or below area median income in New York City and Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties, qualify too. For a family of four, that's up to $162,000 for Con Ed and National Grid NYC customers, $164,900 on Long Island, and $133,609 for National Grid upstate and every other utility. About 1 million households are enrolled and the state estimates 2.5 million more are eligible. Enroll at ny.gov/EAP.
Video by News10NBC via YouTube, September 2026. Not affiliated with CliQ.
Energy rebate checks: automatic
The state is mailing one-time energy rebate checks to about 8.2 million households, from September through December. Joint filers earning under $150,000 get $200, joint filers between $150,000 and $300,000 get $150, and single filers under $150,000 get $100, based on 2024 state tax returns. There's nothing to apply for.
Cold weather protections: November 1 to April 15
Under the Home Energy Fair Practices Act, utilities have to make a special effort before shutting off heat-related service in the cold weather period to find out whether it would seriously threaten anyone's health or safety. There are extra protections for medical emergencies and for people who are elderly, blind, or disabled. If you're facing a shutoff, call the Department of Public Service helpline at 1-800-342-3355.
The Part You Control: How Much You Use
The supply price gets set in NYISO's markets, and delivery rates get set by the PSC. How much you use gets set at home.
Start with heating and cooling. They account for more than half of the energy used in a typical US home, according to the EIA. The Department of Energy says turning the thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day, like overnight or while the house is empty, saves up to 10% a year on heating and cooling. (DOE does caution that deep setbacks aren't a good fit for heat pumps.)
What that's worth: about $80 to $100 a year for the average US household. In an oil-heated home, the EIA's figures for last winter put a setback at roughly $140 to $175, and oil now costs about 70% more.
The catch is doing it every day. Nobody remembers to turn the heat down every night and back up every morning, all winter. A schedule does it for you. For other reasons a bill runs high, see why your electric bill is so high, and check what a normal electric bill looks like.
That's where CliQ comes in. It's a $69.99 smart thermostat that runs the setback for you. You set four temperatures for morning, day, evening, and night. Away mode drops the temperature when you leave and brings it back when you're home, including automatically based on your phone's location. The app is free, with no subscription.
It's also built for the kind of house New York has a lot of. Boiler heat, with radiators, steam, or hot-water baseboard, usually means a two-wire thermostat and no C-wire, the constant-power wire most smart thermostats need. CliQ doesn't need one. It works with most 24V systems: boilers, gas furnaces, and electric forced air. It doesn't control electric baseboard heat or ductless mini-splits. If your old thermostat is a compatible Honeywell two-wire model, CliQ clicks onto the existing wall plate with no tools. Otherwise it's a screwdriver and a few minutes.
The market sets the price of gas. Your thermostat sets how much of it you burn.
See the CliQ Smart Thermostat →$69.99 MSRP. No C-wire required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are New York electric rates going up?
Mostly supply costs. New York's average wholesale electricity price nearly doubled in 2025, from $41.81 to $74.40 per megawatt-hour, driven largely by higher natural gas prices, according to NYISO. Older power plants are also retiring faster than new ones are built, and demand is growing. The average residential rate rose 14% between July 2025 and July 2026.
How much did Con Edison rates go up in 2026?
Under the three-year plan the PSC adopted in January 2026, average Con Edison electric bills go up 3.5% in 2026, 3.2% in 2027, and 3.1% in 2028, and gas bills go up 4.4%, 5.7%, and 5.6%. Those cover delivery. Supply costs change separately with the wholesale market.
What is the NYSEG rate increase for 2026?
NYSEG asked for increases that would have raised average total bills 23.7% for electric and 33.5% for gas. The PSC instead set temporary rates starting June 1, 2026, with total bill impacts of 0.2% for electric and 1.7% for gas. Final rates are still pending before the PSC.
When does HEAP open in New York?
The 2026-2027 regular HEAP benefit is scheduled to open November 2, 2026, and emergency HEAP on January 4, 2027. Heating equipment repair and clean-and-tune benefits opened October 1. The gross income limit is $6,852 a month for a household of four. Apply at myBenefits.ny.gov or through your local department of social services.
Who qualifies for the Energy Affordability Program in New York?
HEAP and Temporary Assistance households are enrolled automatically, and people on SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, and several other programs can self-enroll. Since January 2026, households below state or area median income qualify too: up to $162,000 for a family of four with Con Ed or National Grid NYC, $164,900 on Long Island, and $133,609 upstate. Enroll at ny.gov/EAP.
Can my utility shut off my heat in winter in New York?
From November 1 to April 15, utilities have to make a special effort before shutting off heat-related service to determine whether it would seriously threaten anyone's health or safety, with added protections for medical emergencies and for people who are elderly, blind, or disabled. If you're facing a shutoff, call the Department of Public Service at 1-800-342-3355.
Prices verified as of October 2026. Check retailer links for current pricing.
Sources
NYISO — Impact of National & Global Conditions on Electricity Prices in New York, February 2026 (via American Public Power Association) — publicpower.org
NYS Public Service Commission — PSC dramatically reduces Con Edison's rate request, January 22, 2026 — dps.ny.gov
NYS Public Service Commission — Commission grants only a fraction of NYSEG and RG&E rate request on temporary basis, May 14, 2026 — dps.ny.gov
NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance — Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) — otda.ny.gov
Office of the Governor — 2.5 million more New York households are eligible for discounts on utility bills, September 15, 2026 — governor.ny.gov
Office of the Governor — Energy rebate checks going to 8.2 million New York households, September 14, 2026 — governor.ny.gov
NYS Department of Public Service — Your Rights and Protections (HEFPA) — dps.ny.gov
US Energy Information Administration — Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, average residential price by state — eia.gov
US Department of Energy — Programmable Thermostats — energy.gov
US Energy Information Administration — Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, end-use consumption — eia.gov
US Energy Information Administration — Winter Fuels Outlook, Table WF01 — eia.gov
Photo by Sasha Zilov via Pexels
0 comments