Ortt urges governor to return billions in unspent NYSERDA funds to lower utility costs

Posted 6 February 2026 at 12:14 pm

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and some of his colleagues have sent a letter to Governor Hochul, urging her to direct NYSERDA to return billions in unused funds from their Climate Investment Account directly back to ratepayers who are struggling with skyrocketing utility bills.

The 2025 fiscal year budget and financial plan for NYSERDA indicates they have a surplus of more than $2 billion and projected in future years to even reach $3 billion. At last week’s Joint Budget hearing on Energy and Environmental Conservation, Senate Finance Ranker Tom O’Mara urged NYSERDA President Doreen Harris to return these funds to ratepayers as a bill credit. These bill credits would provide immediate relief to overburdened ratepayers who were required to contribute these surplus funds in their utility bills.

“Albany Democrats continue to dream up new ways to tax New Yorkers and billions of ratepayer dollars – taken to fund the Green New Scam – are sitting unused. It’s time NYSERDA parted with its slush fund, and returned that money to ratepayers to give real immediate relief to New Yorkers who desperately need a break,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt.

The letter was also signed by Senator Mario Mattera, ranking member of the Energy and Telecommunications; Senator Tom O’Mara, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance; and Senator Mark Walczyk, member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Telecommunications.

“There is no rationale for not using these off-budget surplus funds to provide ratepayers with credit on their utility bill,” the letter reads. “It is particularly timely because of the increased supply costs that will result from the current bout of frigid weather. Returning these unspent funds would provide short-term assistance but does not resolve the long-term problem of increasing rates. It is, however, an important recognition of the problem and provides immediate cash relief.”