Number of Long Islanders late paying electric bills drops, but amount owed increases

Even as utility bills rise largely in step with the cost of oil and gas, the number of Long Island customers who are late paying their electric bills has dropped sharply over the past year, to 83,524 in March, compared with more than 111,000 for the month a year ago, according to state figures.

But the average amount in back bills owed by those who are late has increased over the year by nearly $160, according to the state figures.

The 25% drop in the number of customers in arrears has occurred despite a power supply charge that has risen nearly 30% in the past four months amid volatile fuel prices. One watchdog group suggested some customers are turning to credit cards to keep current on their rising bills. 

The 83,524 PSEG Long Island customers who were more than 60 days late paying their bill in March owed a total of $69.4 million, or just over $830 per customer, according to the state figures. For March 2025, the 111,145 customers in arrears owed $74.6 million, or $671 per customer.

The Public Utility Law Project, a customer watchdog group, said it nevertheless remains "very alarmed by New York’s energy affordability crisis, noting, "We see the real-world consequences of it come through our hotline every day."

Statewide, the group noted, the number of customers 60 days or more in arrears in March fell roughly 9.4% compared with March 2025 — 1,124,860 to 1,241,779 — with the total amount owed by customers increasing from $1.79 billion to $1.86 billion. The number of shutoffs statewide increased 39%.

"Emergency cases involving active shutoffs have more than doubled so far in 2026," Public Utility Law Project spokesman Ian Donaldson said in an email to Newsday. "This month alone, we logged almost 100 emergency cases, surpassing our previous busiest month on record. Total call volume year to date is also up almost 10% compared to the same period year."

Another customer advocacy group, AARP, said while the recent figures show "a positive direction," New York customers nevertheless remain "in the middle of an energy affordability crisis that must be addressed" by state lawmakers. 

"When Long Islanders are cutting back on medical expenses, including prescription drugs, and running up debt just to afford their high utility bills, the system is clearly failing them," said Bill Ferris, AARP's New York legislative representative, in an email. "Relief for high utility bills must be part of the final state budget" now being negotiated "if we want to move beyond the slogan and truly make New York more affordable." 

On Long Island, just over 10,000 customers received final termination notices in March, and 1,535 customers were shut off for nonpayment, according to the state figures. Of the total 1,073,145 residential customers, 54,540 were on active deferred payment plans by the end of the month.

For March a year ago, 9,642 customers received final termination notices, and 1,524 were shut off for nonpayment, while 53,333 customers were on active deferred payment plans by month’s end.

PULP said the figures can be deceiving, and don’t show, for instance, how many customers are keeping active on their bill by using a credit card.

"The households we assist are doing everything they can to avoid falling further behind, but unfortunately, we see many take on credit card debt or make painful tradeoffs just to keep the lights and heat on," Donaldson said. "So, while the number of households behind on paper has decreased, we don’t believe that it should be mistaken for actual relief.

Customer sales of electricity are up on Long Island. For March, total residential sales were $203.26 million, compared with $162.7 million a year ago.

On the commercial side, 7,192 Long Island business customers were 60 days or more behind in paying their electric bills in March, owing $5.8 million.

During the month, 10,545 termination notices were sent to commercial customers late paying their bills and service was terminated for 1,525 of those, according to the figures reported to the state Department of Public Service.

On the gas-delivery front, National Grid’s Long Island division reported 42,715 customers were more than 60 days late paying their electric bills as of March, owing a combined $43 million. That figure is also down from the previous March, when 46,340 customers were 60 days or more late, and owed $41.2 million.

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.