As part of his continued efforts to provide relief to New Yorkers struggling with soaring utility bills, New York State Sen. Joseph Griffo is calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYSERDA to return billions in unused funds from their “Climate Investment Account” directly back to ratepayers.
New Yorkers are currently weathering some of the highest energy rates in the nation. Residential electricity rates in New York are roughly 50% higher than the national average and rose 7.6% in the past year, faster than the national average.
Since the Democratic majorities in the Legislature passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), electricity rates in New York have increased 45% – leading New Yorkers to pay 30-40% higher rates than their neighbors in Pennsylvania.
The 2025 fiscal year budget and financial plan for NYSERDA indicates that the authority has a surplus of approximately $2 billion. At a recent Joint Budget hearing on Energy and Environmental Conservation, NYSERDA President Doreen Harris was urged to return these unspent funds to ratepayers as a bill credit. These bill credits would provide relief to overburdened ratepayers who were required to contribute these surplus funds in their utility bills.
“Following a recent Supreme Court decision, the governor called on the Trump Administration to provide tariff refunds to New Yorkers struggling financially,” Sen. Griffo said. “She should do the same with this $2 billion NYSERDA surplus that she controls to help those hit hard by rising utility bills. Returning this unspent funding to ratepayers is one way to provide immediate relief and make life a little easier for New Yorkers who are already stretched to the limit.”
Additionally, Sen. Griffo is urging the governor to declare a state of emergency to help address the sharp rise in utility bills affecting hardworking residents, families, businesses, schools, nonprofits and other organizations in the state.
In New Jersey, the governor there signed an executive order that freezes rate hikes, uses existing funds to offset looming electricity bill increases and gives the state’s Board of Public Utilities authority to pause or modify utility actions that could further increase bills.
“Gov. Hochul has acknowledged that energy costs are a problem,” Sen. Griffo said. “She has the authority and ability to declare a state of emergency like New Jersey has done. This designation could provide immediate, temporary relief to those struggling with high energy bills.”
Earlier this month, Sen. Griffo and his colleagues unveiled a package of legislation aimed at addressing New York’s outrageous energy costs and offsetting the effects of costly energy mandates out of Albany.
The legislative package is part of the Senate Republican Conference’s broader 2026 legislative agenda entitled “Save New York,” a plan to improve affordability, enhance public safety and build a stronger New York for today and future generations.
The goals of the legislative package are to provide immediate ratepayer relief, increase cost transparency, and repeal costly mandates. It includes:
Immediate Ratepayer Relief
- S8461A – Requires any surplus or unspent ratepayer funds remaining in NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Fund or any unspent funds collected by utilities be sent back to ratepayers as a bill credit. This bill would result in lowering New Yorkers’ utility bills by $2 billion at a time when New Yorkers are facing skyrocketing utility bills.
- S8463 – Provides a one-year utility bill tax and surcharge holiday and two-year green energy tax holiday. Government taxes and fees account for between 25 to 50% of a customer’s utility bill. This bill would provide meaningful and immediate relief to ratepayers as they face skyrocketing energy costs.
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S7075 – Repeals the system benefit charge. The system benefit charge is a fee imposed on all ratepayers that provides money to NYSERDA and the Public Service Commission (PSC). Repealing such fees would lower utility bills.
Cost Transparency
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S1031 – Directs the PSC and the Comptroller to determine the cost of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) mandates for each ratepayer and to establish a credit for ratepayers and businesses to cover those costs.
- S1414 – Enacts the Utility Ratepayer Protection Act, which requires legislative approval of increases in utility charges.
- S5515 – Relates to providing transparency to residential utility and municipality ratepayers on the cost impact of the climate action council’s scoping plan.
- S5611 – Establishes the Climate Action Cost Council, which must meet quarterly and report on any CLCPA cost associated with any action taken by the Council.
- S6412 – Establishes the “Ratepayer Disclosure and Transparency Act,” which requires annual reporting on state mandated energy programs.
- S6790 – Requires the superintendent of financial services to examine the Green Bank at least once every calendar year.
- S8447 – Requires a fiscal note when a bill enacts or amends a law impacting the cost of utility services.
- S8936 – Increases transparency and accountability in utility billing by requiring all electric utility corporations, energy services companies, and municipalities to provide customers with a clear, itemized breakdown of their monthly bills.
Repeal Green Energy Mandates
- S1167 – Repeals All Electric Buildings Act.
- S3652 – Repeals the Electric Vehicle mandate.
- S4748 – Repeals the zero-emission school bus mandate.
- S8607 – Repeals the $15 billion per year Cap-and-Invest program that will act as a tax on New York consumers.
- S7710 – Prohibits the construction of certain energy storage systems within five hundred feet of a school or dwelling in New York City.
“Skyrocketing gas and electric bills have created serious challenges for many New Yorkers,” Sen. Griffo said. “Real action is needed to rein in utility costs and alleviate the burden felt by residents and families across the state. I continue to fight and advocate for essential solutions that will combat rising utility rates. This legislative package provides relief from burdensome energy costs, improves transparency and reduces unreasonable, unrealistic and unaffordable regulations and mandates connected to the state’s ambitious energy goals and
Sen. Griffo has outlined his own multifaceted and comprehensive approach to help New Yorkers with high utility bills. More details of that plan can be found here.
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