UTILITY BILL GUIDE — HOUSING & PLACE
Could your O&R bill be lower? Check this newer income pathway.
A household does not have to receive a traditional public benefit to qualify for an O&R bill discount. The Enhanced Energy Affordability Program is for residential electric or gas customers whose income is below the state median and who are not already in the utility's traditional assistance program.
Start with these four checks
- Account: you are a residential customer receiving O&R electric and/or gas service.
- Current program: you are not already enrolled in the traditional Energy Affordability Program or a qualifying government-assistance program.
- Income: your household falls below O&R's posted state-median-income threshold for its size.
- Application: Enhanced EAP is not automatic. New York says customers must self-identify and register.
O&R's posted household limits
The utility separates eligible households into three tiers. Its current maximum posted threshold is $69,475 for one person, $90,853 for two, $112,230 for three and $133,609 for four.
- Five people: up to $154,986.
- Six people: up to $176,364.
- Seven people: up to $180,372.
- Eight people: up to $184,380.
Those figures are eligibility ceilings, not promised discounts. The exact adjustment depends on the income tier, electric or gas service and whether that service is used for heating. O&R lists electric adjustments of $76.81 in Tier 5, $43.44 in Tier 6 and $1 in Tier 7. Its posted gas adjustments are different: for heating, $9.79, $23 and $1; for non-heating service, $2.40, $3 and $1. The utility says all discount amounts are evaluated annually and may change.
What to gather before applying
O&R asks for utility bills from the last three months showing the utility name, account holder, account number and service address. It also asks for proof of income for every household member from the past month, such as pay stubs, Social Security or pension statements, self-employment records or other relevant documents.
- Apply online: use O&R's dedicated Enhanced EAP application ↗.
- Apply by phone: call 877-400-2501 if you cannot use the digital application.
- Apply by mail or fax: download the application from the O&R affordability page ↗. The utility lists CLEAResult – NY EEAP, 16350 Felton Road, Lansing, MI 48906, and fax 517-580-5123.
Want in-person help Wednesday?
Rockland County's Office for the Aging says O&R and NYSERDA representatives will hold office hours Wednesday, September 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 50 Sanatorium Road, Building F, Pomona. Residents can ask about billing assistance, incentives, rebates and home-energy options or pick up applications. Appointments are highly recommended at 845-364-2100.
Bring a recent utility bill. The County's notice also suggests award letters, income records and photos of a home issue when relevant. Do not send account numbers, income records or benefit documents to The Rockland Edit.
Hundreds of O&R accounts are already using the program
O&R's July filing with the State Public Service Commission lists 951 Enhanced EAP participant accounts: 342 electric-only accounts and 609 combination electric-and-gas accounts. The filing lists 60 new enrollments during July. Those are companywide O&R figures, not a Rockland-only count.
Traditional assistance is a separate path
If a household receives HEAP, SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, certain veterans benefits, federal public-housing assistance or another program on O&R's list, it may qualify through the traditional Energy Affordability Program instead. Some customers are enrolled automatically; others must apply. Use the utility's page or contact O&R to confirm the correct path rather than submitting sensitive eligibility details to a public comment or newsroom inbox.
What changes for a resident: an O&R customer below the state median income may qualify for a monthly bill discount even without a traditional public benefit. Check the household limit, gather recent bills and income records, and apply online or ask for help at Wednesday's Pomona session.
Primary sources: Orange & Rockland Energy Affordability Program ↗; New York Department of Public Service program guide ↗; O&R's July 2026 Enhanced EAP report ↗; and Rockland County's September 16 utility-help notice ↗, published September 1, 2026. Eligibility, thresholds, discount amounts, application routes and County session details checked September 14, 2026, at 7:56 a.m. EDT. This guide does not determine an individual household's eligibility or final bill adjustment.