Program/s: EmPower+ To: Participating Contractors, Clean Energy Hubs and Stakeholders Summary: The Energy Affordability Guarantee Pilot Contact with Questions: Please reach out to Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069 with any questions
The Energy Affordability Guarantee (EAG) is a Pilot being run by the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) that will provide homes that have been, or will be, electrified through the EmPower+ Program with a utility bill subsidy to ensure the homes energy burden is not greater than 6%.
The goal for the Pilot is to serve at least 100 EmPower+ Tier 1 (Low-Income) households in each of the utility areas. Based on current program production, additional projects are needed in the following areas:
Central Hudson
Consolidated Edison
Orange and Rockland
Rochester Gas and Electric
Homes that have had projects completed on or after May 1, 2023, will be eligible.
Pilot Guidelines
Only homes in the following electric territories will be eligible: Central Hudson, Consolidated Edison, Orange and Rockland, and Rochester Gas and Electric.
Households with Municipal Electric are not eligible.
This pilot is only available to Tier 1 / low-income customers.
Homes that are served by all fuel sources (including natural gas) will be eligible.
The maximum allowable ACH50 for homes will be increased to 10.
The home’s existing heating systems must be removed, and the heat pump should be sized to cover the full heating load.
The water heating system must be a HPWH.
Projects participating in the pilot will have priority at provisional approval.
Contractor may return to a home that has a heat pump installed to install a HPWH, to qualify for the pilot.
Homes will have energy monitors installed on the electrical panel boxes.
Pilot Process for New EmPower+ Projects
A Pilot application will be available on the contractor support site. This application must be filled out and submitted to Matt Houle matthew.houle@nyserda.ny.gov . Matt will review the application to ensure it meets program requirements and notify the contractor that they can proceed to submit the work scope.
CLEAResult will identify the project in NYHEP as eligible for the pilot.
The work scope will be submitted per the normal EmPower+ Program processes and given priority at provisional approval.
After the project is complete, NYSERDA will provide the data for the project to the Implementation Contractor at DPS so they can contact and enroll the customer.
NYSERDA will be hiring a contractor to supervise the installation of energy monitors.
NYSERDA will provide a tracker on the contractor support site indicating how many projects will be eligible in each utility territory.
The information from this pilot will be used to determine future utility bill subsidies and the viability of a gas to heat pump conversions in certain markets.
The goal of the pilot is to have the remaining projects completed by December 31, 2025.
Programs: EmPower+ To: Participating Contractors; Clean Energy Hubs Summary: Efficiency & Building Electrification (EE/BE) Order Changes Questions: If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support
The Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) Energy Efficiency / Beneficial Electrification Order was issued by the Public Service Commission in May 2025. This order covers funding for NYSERDA’s LMI single and multifamily programs for 2026 through 2030.
Both the Order, and additional program enhancements directed by NYSERDA, call for significant updates to the EmPower+ program to improve delivery, strengthen customer outcomes, and better align with statewide electrification and affordability goals.
NYSERDA will implement these changes through a phased rollout across 2026.
The first tranche of updates is scheduled to launch on March 18, 2026, and will include the following:
Contractor Application Submissions
Starting on March 18, 2026, participating contractors will be able to submit applications, through the MyEnergy portal, on behalf of customers who can provide categorical income verification. The acceptable categorical income verification types include:
SSI (Supplemental Security Income)- (this is different from Social Security Retirement or Disability benefits which are used as income sources for Standard Eligibility)
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
Weatherization Assistance Program
Public Assistance
Training in MyEnergy for contractors will take place:
The EE/BE Order directs the EmPower+ program to prioritize customer segments with the greatest energy burden and need. To ensure program resources are deployed in a way that provides most meaningful impact, applications from these priority customer types will receive preference during periods of elevated application volume. This approach supports equitable access to benefits while maintaining a steady and sustainable project pipeline.
Referrals from utilities of customers participating in Energy Assistance Programs
Customers in geographic Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)
Customers with high energy cost burden
Customers in areas that have been historically underserved by the program (currently identified as the Capital District, Hudson Valley, New York City, North Country with the list to be updated pending on-going market analysis)
Income Eligibility Changes for Low-Income Households
The EE/BE Order requires EmPower+ to use 60% Area Median Income or State Median Income, whichever is greater, for determining low-income eligibility. This differs from the current process, which relies solely on State Median Income figures. The EmPower+ program will update the income qualification tables with these new numbers and TRC will use the updated tables for program qualification beginning March 18, 2026.
If a customer who has previously applied in the last 12 months and was classified as moderate-income is now eligible as low-income, their contractor can request that TRC re-review the application. If they qualify as low-income under the new rules, a new project will need to be created in NYHEP when the application is revised.
As part of the income table updates, EmPower+ has also incorporated the updated HEAP numbers for 2025-2026.
Project Incentive Cap Increases for Upstate and Downstate
EmPower+ incentive caps will be increased for both low and moderate-income households and will be delineated by upstate and downstate regions. In addition, EmPower+ will use the customer’s address rather than the contractor’s address to determine if a project is eligible for upstate or downstate pricing and incentives.
Downstate addresses will include households in the counties south of and including Dutchess and Ulster Counties. Below are the updated low and moderate-income project level incentive caps by household type and location:
Moderate-Income Cost Share
The EmPower+ program will reinstate the 50% project level incentive cap for moderate-income households. EmPower+ will provide an incentive covering up to 50% of the cost of eligible measures, up to the applicable project caps.
Beginning March 18, 2026, for moderate -income eligible projects submitted to the program that do not yet have a submitted work scope, the customer will be required to cover the remaining balance of the project, either out of pocket, using other available grants, or through NYSERDA’s Residential Financing programs.
Moderate-income incentive caps will change to $6,000 for upstate customers and $7,000 for downstate customers. In addition, Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) funds can be layered on top of this amount of funding.
Example: The only eligible measure in the project is air sealing with a cost of $4,000.
Total cost: $4,000
Base EmPower+ incentive is $2,000 (50% of $4,000)
HEAR incentive is $1,600
Total possible incentive is $3,600.
LED Light Bulb Eligibility
The EE/BE Order classified light bulbs as a non-strategic measure that may continue in limited applications through 2027; however, they will be phased out afterwards. Beginning March 18, 2026, eligibility for direct install LED lighting will be limited to the following applications:
Replacement of existing in-service incandescent lightbulbs with LEDs, AND
As part of a comprehensive project where lighting is under 5% of the total project cost.
Heat Pump Water Heater Incentive Changes
Effective February 6, 2026, EmPower+ will be using funds, secured through Governor Hochul’s Sustainable Futures Program, to incentivize Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH).
Maximum incentive for HPWHs will be:
100% of the project up to $5,000 for Low-Income (Tier 1)
50% of the project up to $2,500 for Moderate-Income (Tier 3)
This incentive will include all electrical upgrades associated with the HPWH including:
A new breaker, running a new electrical line, and other associated costs.
Contractors will need to include these costs in the measure.
Contractors should not use the HEAR electrical upgrade measure for HPWH associated costs.
The HEAR electrical service panel box upgrade measure will still be eligible when installing a HPWH.
Insulation Requirements for Heat Pump Projects
The below table represents the updated minimum insulation requirements a residence must meet prior to the installation of a heat pump through EmPower+. These updated envelope requirements are for work scopes submitted to the program beginning March 18, 2026.
Updated Project Photo Requirements
To shorten project review times and standardize document submissions, EmPower+ will be launching new photo templates for:
Assessment/Workscope Submission
Final Project Submission
Starting March 18, 2026, contractors will be expected to use the new submission templates or use a product that can arrange photographs in the same order as the templates.
A photo reference document will also be available for each measure. This document will enable users to readily identify photo needs when proposing measures.
We do want to remind contractors that IRA funding requires clear pictures of the make and models tags of the installed units. We will be reviewing these photos more closely to ensure that the information on them is legible.
NYSERDA is continuing to pursue a contract with CompanyCam to provide licenses for CompanyCam for all participating contractors.
Smart Power Strips
Based on findings from a recent evaluation study, the program will be ending smart power strips as a measure on March 18, 2026.
If they have been added to a work scope that has been submitted, it can move forward as a measure, but they will no longer be available to be added to new work scopes.
Updated EmPower+ Pricing
As part of the EmPower+ yearly cycle, the program will update utility rates used in project level cost effectiveness calculations and EmPower+ measure pricing schedules during the Q1 changes to the NYHEP system. These rates will be effective as part of the March 18, 2026 updates.
The above program changes were covered in the February 6, 2026, Contractor Check-In webinar which can be found on the contractor support site. Between now and the launch of these program changes, program staff will be making updates to the program manual, income charts, and NYSERDA webpages. If there are any questions on these upcoming program changes, please reach out to contractor support at support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or (800)- 284-9069.
Programs: EmPower+ To: Participating Contractors; Clean Energy Hubs Summary: Pending Program Changes Questions: If there are any questions, please contact 1-866-NYSERDA
In accordance with the New York State Department of Public Service Energy’s Low-to Moderate-Income Efficiency & Building Electrification (EE/BE) Order and as part of NYSERDA’s efforts to maintain program continuity and ensure equitable access to incentives, the Empower+ Program will be making a number of updates currently planned for release in mid-March of 2026.
NYSERDA will be providing an overview of these changes as part of the monthly Home Modernization webinar, which will be held at 8:30 a.m. on February 6, 2026. If you are interested in attending, please complete the registration link. If you cannot make the webinar, a recoded copy will be made available on the contractor support site.
Program/s: Quality & Market Standards, EmPower+ To: EmPower+ Contractors Summary: QMS Nonconformance Training Contact with Questions:inspections@nyserda.ny.gov
Details: Training on top non-conformances seen in the field will be delivered by the Quality and Market Standards Team via live webinar for the contractor network and will also be recorded for future reference. Two topic areas will be covered: fire hazards and indoor air quality. The session will run about one hour and have a Q&A session at the end. The webinar is scheduled Tuesday January 20, 2026, from 8:30 am – 10:00am. Register here.
Programs: EmPower+ To: Participating Contractors, Hubs, Program Stakeholders Summary: HERR Assistance Questions:NYSHEAP@otda.ny.gov
NYSERDA is forwarding along this communication received from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance regarding HEAP/HERR assistance:
We are writing to inform you of recent changes to the New York State (NYS) Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)’s Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) for the 2025-2026 program year.
In October, we informed you of a pause in the Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement (HERR) program for the 2025-2026 program year. We are pleased to announce that funding is now available for HERR beginning December 11, 2025. Due to limited funding, HERR benefits will be available only to applicants aged 60 or older that own their home. If there is more than one documented homeowner, at least one must be aged 60 or above at the time of application and live in the home as their primary residence. All other eligibility requirements remain the same.
Beginning December 11, 2025, households may apply for HERR by contacting their local social services district. Homeowners that do not meet the additional eligibility requirement may still be referred to Public Assistance.
We value our continued partnership and welcome your feedback or questions. You can reach us at NYSHEAP@otda.ny.gov. Thank you for your dedication to serving NY’s most vulnerable populations.
NYSERDA is working to update our No-Heat guidance as quickly as possible. Please check the Contractor Support site for updated documents.
