March 19, 2026 Albany

PSC Announces Extreme Heat Protections for Consumers

Uniform Protections Set for Customers of Major Electric Utilities and Major Water Companies for Extreme Heat Events ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today approved a comprehensive statewide policy regarding extreme heat customer protection for the largest investor-owned electric utilities and water utilities.  Today’s decision prohibits these utilities from terminating residential customers’ service for non-payment during extreme heat events.

“Protecting consumers is a top priority for the Commission,” said Commission Chair Rory M. Christian. “Today, the Commission put in place protections for major electric and large water utility customers during extreme heat events in view of policy objectives and to standardize them to reflect best practices.”

Currently, major electric utilities have different definitions of what is considered extreme heat, making customer protections dependent on the service territory a customer lives in.

Over the past five years the Commission’s Office of Consumer Services staff has, in conjunction with intervening parties and the major New York electric utilities, worked within the rate case process to enhance and standardize customer protections during periods of extreme heat for the major electric utilities in New York State. During the same period, New York State experienced some of the hottest summers on record, and heat waves and extreme heat events are anticipated to increase in the years ahead.

Existing extreme heat protections halt residential service terminations due to nonpayment when a heat index or temperature threshold is reached. The major electric utilities detail their customer protections during extreme heat events within their respective rate plans. Currently, there are no extreme heat protections in place for New York’s major water utilities. The Commission approved extreme heat protections for customers of water utilities with annual revenues greater than $250,000.

Specifically, the new rules would do the following:

• Implement uniform extreme heat protections for residential electric and water customers, as well as residential end-use customers in multi-unit dwellings.
• Require these utilities to halt service terminations due to non-payment on any day with a forecasted or actual heat index reaching or exceeding 90 degrees.
• Enhance protections in areas identified as heat islands by requiring these utilities to halt service terminations in heat islands due to non-payment the two days following any day reaching or exceeding a heat index of 90 degrees.
• Standardize the administrative processes. The Commission directed the major electric and water utilities to identify the heat islands in their service territories and to develop methods to decrease arrears and uncollectible expenses that could result from the implementation of these protections. The Commission suggested that the Long Island Power Authority also consider implementing consistent protections for customers served by its service provider, PSEG Long Island.

The Commission also directed the major electric and water utilities to develop customer communications regarding these protections and update their outreach plans accordingly. Additionally, the Commission directed the electric and water utilities to use standardized tariff language regarding these protections.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s website at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 24-M-0586 in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.

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26033/24-M-0586

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