NY A02604

Master-metered residential rental buildings may be converted to submetering if the building owner files an application with the Public Service Commission, subject to specified conditions and requirements.

Building owners must notify all tenants in writing within 30 days of filing, including a summary of the application, public comment period dates, PSC contact information, public hearing details, website access to the full application, and economic advantages of submetering.

Applications must include a thermal study of the building, 24 months of electrical usage records, projected submetered rates by unit type, a plan to replace non-Energy Star appliances with Energy Star models, and a rate calculation method capped at local utility tariff rates.

The PSC must hold a public hearing near the building at least 30 days before approving or denying the application, and if 50% or more of tenants request it, the building owner must pay for an independent energy analysis by a tenant-selected consultant.

Approvals operate under a two-tiered process with initial conditional approval lasting one year, followed by an optional final approval; denied applicants may refile after six months.