Am I getting an energy bill rebate check? New York POWER payments, timeline, and eligibility explained

Next week, a large percentage of New York State’s roughly 20 million residents will begin receiving a one-time check worth up to $200. The payment aims to provide relief to cash-strapped New Yorkers who are increasingly dealing with higher living costs driven by rising energy prices in the wake of President Trump’s ongoing war with Iran. Here’s what you need to know about the payments, including who qualifies and when you can expect to get yours. What’s happened? This week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that 8.2 million households in the state will receive energy rebate checks worth up to $200 each. The checks are part of the governor’s recently enacted budget, which included the $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) program. POWER, passed in May, authorizes New York State’s Department of Taxation and Finance to distribute funds to eligible residents to help cover increased utility costs. Announcing the upcoming distribution of the first checks to residents, Hochul said that “too many families are struggling with rising household energy bills and soaring gas prices at the pump.” Her office cited “President Trump’s war in Iran that has New Yorkers now p…