Program Announcements for November 2026

Program/s: EmPower+, Virtual Energy Assessments, Comfort Home
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Monthly Contractor Update
Contact with Questions: residential.programs@nyserda.ny.gov

November

NYSERDA Home Modernization Monthly Contractor Webinar
Friday, November 6, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET

Webinar number: 2539 779 4095
Webinar password: Energy1

December

NYSERDA Home Modernization Monthly Contractor Webinar
Friday, December 4, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET

Friday, December 4, 2026

8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET

Webinar number: 2537 331 6940
Webinar password: Energy1

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides each individual with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone. To register for the series, please click here.

All webinars are recorded and links to the recordings are available on the Contractor Support site. 

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Residential Contractors
Summary: Updates to EAG Pilot Page
Contact with Questions: support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

The Department of Public Service has provided additional materials to the Energy Affordability Guarantee web page on the Contractor Support site:

• A Q&A summary from the July BPCA meeting
• Two form letters that contractors can provide to new or partially electrified Tier 1 customers.

NYSERDA’s EmPower+ team encourages contractors to use these materials in their outreach to prospective EAG participants.

Program/s: EmPower+ and Comfort Home
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Staff Hours for Thanksgiving
Contact with Questions: See below

NYSERDA wishes you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Please see below for EmPower+ and Comfort Home program staff and implementation staff hours for the upcoming holiday.

NYSERDA: Closed on Thursday, November 26^th with limited staffing on Friday, November 27^th.

CLEAResult: Closed Thursday, November 26^th and Friday, November 27^th.

TRC Call Center: Closed Thursday, November 26^th and open Friday, November 27^th

• Note: EmPower+ application processing is closed on Thursday and Friday.

Participating Contractors working in the field in need of emergency approval may contact Sarah Knoell (518-207-4527) on Thursday, November 26th and Katherine Prior (774-635-9884) on Friday, November 27th.

For non-urgent matters, contact Contractor Support or (800) 284-9069; requests will be returned following the holiday in the order they were received.

The 1-866-NYSERDA /1-877-NYSMART number will not be staffed on Thursday, November 26^th, but will be open for regular hours on Friday, November 27^th.

With the holiday, there will only be one EmPower+ incentive invoice processed during the week of November 23. Incentive invoicing processing will return to twice per week beginning the week of November 30.  Comfort Home will process a weekly invoice on Wednesday, November 25 as usual.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Summary: No-Heat Season Installation Expectations
Questions: If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support

The 2026-2027 No-Heat season began October 1, 2026 and ends April 15, 2027, or until funding is no longer available. As a reminder, EmPower+ may only be used as a last resort option for no-heat emergencies where the homeowner has already exhausted all other public assistance options to obtain a functioning heating system.

Contractors are expected to complete No-Heat emergency installations within seven calendar days of workscope approval. Installation delays should be noted on the NYHEP enrollment and include an explanation for the delay and the anticipated installation date.

If prompt submission does not occur, outreach will be conducted to the contractor requesting the information. Enrollments not moving through NYHEP in a timely manner, or not responding to outreach requests, may cause the enrollment to lose No-Heat status or the project may be reassigned to another contractor for completion.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support or call 800-284-9069

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Residential Contractors
Summary: Updated HEAP Guidelines
Contact with Questions:  NYS OTDA Hotline: 1 (800) 342-3009

2026- 2027 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

The New York State Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded program that assists eligible low-income households in meeting their home energy needs.

Component Program Dates

*All closing dates may be shortened or extended depending on demand and available funding.

Income Guidelines

**Amount increased per additional household member.

Benefit Amounts

• Households whose income falls within Tier I will receive a $61 add-on to the base Regular benefit.
• Households with a vulnerable member (under age 6, age 60 or older, or permanently disabled) will receive a $35 add-on.
• Households may receive both add-ons, if eligible, for a total increase of $96 to the base Regular benefit.
• HERR will no longer be limited to applicants age 60 and older
• Clean and Tune will operate as normal for the 2026-2027 program year

Heat Included Benefits

Tier I – $50
Tier II – $45
Heat & Eat – $21

General Information Regarding HEAP

NYS OTDA Hotline: 1 (800) 342-3009
Program Information: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap
Online Application for upstate: www.mybenefits.ny.gov
NYC online application: https://a069-access.nyc.gov/accesshra/login

Program: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Summary: No-Heat Updates
Contact with Questions: support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.
 
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has updated the No-Heat Guidelines, found in Section 5.7 of the Program Manual, to provide guidance on the submission of No-Heat projects through EmPower+. These guidelines are effective beginning October 1, 2026, and continue through the heating season until April 15, 2026, or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first. As a reminder, EmPower+ may only be used as a last resort option for no-heat emergencies where the homeowner has already exhausted all other public assistance options to obtain a functioning heating system.
 
These updates were covered in the September 11, 2026, Home Modernization Monthly meeting which can be accessed at Webinars – Contractor Support. Below is a summary of the changes for 2026-2027.

• The total available No-Heat EmPower+ funding for the 2026-27 heating season is $1,000,000. A budget tracking and no-heat resource page has been provided on the contractor support site that will post updated statuses of the available funding
• The maximum No-Heat incentive is $6,000, regardless of heating system type.
  • If the project cost exceeds the available funding, households are encouraged to access low-interest financing through Green Jobs – Green New York or work with their Clean Energy HUB to see if other funding opportunities are available in their area.
• No-heat incentives are reserved and made available to low-income households.
• Incentives are not available for rental units unless the building is owner-occupied and the building owner is income eligible.
• Contractors and customers must complete the No-Heat Attestation Form and submit as part of the project submission paperwork.

Sections 5.7 through 5.7.7 of the Program Manual have been updated to reflect these changes.
If you have any questions, please contact support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or 1-800-284-9069.

Program: EmPower+, Comfort Home
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Vendor Responsibility Checklist
Contact with Questions: Support at support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.

EmPower+ and Comfort Home Contractors are required to complete and return a NYSERDA Vendor Responsibility Checklist. This document must be submitted by existing contractors and will be a requirement moving forward for new and on-boarding contractors as part of the application process.

The document is available to download from the contractor support site and must be submitted by email to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov no later than Nov. 13, 2026

If you have any questions, please contact support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or 1-800-284-9069. 

Program/s: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Energy Hubs
Summary: Audit Only Contractors
Contact with Questions: matthew.houle@nyserda.ny.gov

Beginning on January 1, 2027, EmPower+ will start monitoring the number of assessment only projects submitted by contractors.  After this date,  standalone home energy assessments should only be completed for a small percentage of a contractor’s completed projects. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) expects contractors to complete comprehensive work scopes whenever possible.

Additional guidance for Participating EmPower+ Contractors:

• Assessment -only projects are still allowed in limited circumstances. For example, if there is a health and safety issue beyond the scope of EmPower+, the contractor can submit the assessment through the program for reimbursement.  
• If a contractor is submitting an assessment-only project, notes must be provided on why a comprehensive work scope cannot be completed.
• A comprehensive work scope can be accomplished by the participating contractor completing the home energy assessment and installing energy efficiency measurements themselves or by working with a sub-contractor to install the energy efficiency measurements.
• There should only be one work scope submitted for enrollments. Enrollments should include the home energy assessment and the energy efficiency measurements.
• A comprehensive work scope should include one of the following, air sealing, attic wall, rim joist insulation or an upgraded HVAC system.
• Assessment only projects will not count towards a contractor’s annual minimum production requirements of 20 projects per year.

NYSERDA understands that there are a few situations where a contractor will only complete a home energy assessment; however, this should not be large percentage of a contractor’s overall projects.

Please reach out to Matt Houle matthew.houle@nyserda.ny.gov with questions or concerns.

Program/s: NYSERDA Residential Programs
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Funding through NYSERDA’s On-the-Job Training Program
Contact with Questions:  PONOJT@nyserda.ny.gov

NYSERDA Offers On-the-Job Training Funding to Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Businesses

Through the NYSERDA On-the-Job Training Program, NYSERDA is reducing costs for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other clean energy businesses  to recruit, hire, and train new employees.

Funding up to $11,000 per new hire is available. Higher incentive levels are available to employers hiring members of priority populations and disadvantaged communities, as identified by the New York Climate Justice Working Group. Of this total funding, $1,000  is issued to employers whose new employees earn an eligible industry certification.

Learn more about eligibility requirements, how to apply, and information regarding monthly virtual office hours on NYSERDA’s website: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/On-the-Job-Training-Program

For full program details and eligibility requirements, please review the Program Summary.

Have questions? Contact PONOJT@nyserda.ny.gov

Thank you,

Shannon Richardson

Program/s: All Programs
To: NYHEP and NYSERDA System Users
Summary: User Access and Restrictions
Contact with Questions:  support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) and NYSERDA system users that have never logged in or have not logged in within the past 12 months will be deactivated on a rolling basis. 

Further, as a reminder and previously announced, Participating Contractors are provided with individual credentials permitting access to NYHEP for approved program purposes and must not share passwords or allow unauthorized access to NYHEP. 

Unauthorized use or attempted unauthorized use of this system is not permitted and may constitute a crime. Such use may subject you to appropriate disciplinary and/or criminal prosecution. NYHEP is intended to be used by individual users to manually enter data in accordance with the documentation and training materials provided for the purpose of supporting direct human users working on individual projects. Any other use that is not explicitly covered in training materials is not allowed, including but not limited to the use of automated software tools designed to access data (automated bots, scraping tools, API polling tools, etc.).

Participating Contractors shall not use, modify, or apply the NYHEP system for any purpose other than its expressly intended purpose; reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to derive the source code of the software; use the software in a manner that violates any applicable local, state, or federal laws or regulations; use the software in a manner that circumvents the permissions restricting access to data.