Authorizes the New York power authority to supply electric energy to low-income households receiving assistance through the New York city human resources administration and the New York state office of temporary and disability assistance, and to designate such agencies and local social services districts as billing energy service companies.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9380
IN SENATE
March 6, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni-
cations
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to authorizing
the New York power authority to supply electric energy to certain
low-income households; and providing for the repeal of such provisions
upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "low-income energy supply and billing act".
3 § 2. Section 1005 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
4 new subdivision 31 to read as follows:
5 31. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority is here-
6 by authorized and directed to:
7 (a) Generate or procure electric power and energy to supply eligible
8 residential customers identified through:
9 (i) the New York city human resources administration (HRA);
10 (ii) the New York state office of temporary and disability assistance
11 (OTDA); and
12 (iii) local social services districts responsible for administering
13 energy assistance programs under state or federal law.
14 (b) Permit such agencies and districts to act as billing energy
15 service companies (ESCOs) for the purpose of purchasing wholesale elec-
16 tricity from the authority and billing eligible clients directly for the
17 energy supplied.
18 (c) Ensure that energy supplied under this subdivision is priced at
19 cost-based rates and structured to maintain the household energy burden
20 of eligible customers at or below six percent of their income.
21 (d) Coordinate with utilities, the department of public service, OTDA,
22 and HRA to:
23 (i) facilitate necessary data sharing and customer enrollment mech-
24 anisms;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13421-01-5
S. 9380 2
1 (ii) integrate agency billing with existing utility metering and
2 distribution systems; and
3 (iii) develop administrative protocols to ensure non-duplication of
4 benefits and accuracy in billing.
5 (e) Provide technical assistance, training, and infrastructure support
6 to social services agencies to ensure their capability to function as
7 ESCOs, consistent with regulations issued by the public service commis-
8 sion and applicable state law.
9 (f) Promulgate regulations and enter into necessary agreements to
10 implement this subdivision, including but not limited to, protocols for
11 safeguarding client data, managing payment systems, and resolving bill-
12 ing disputes.
13 § 3. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part
14 of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to
15 be invalid and after exhaustion of all further judicial review, the
16 judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof,
17 but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, para-
18 graph, section or part of this act directly involved in the controversy
19 in which the judgment shall have been rendered.
20 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
21 deemed repealed 5 years after such date.
