The New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) is the regulatory authority responsible for overseeing and ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient delivery of essential utility services across New York State. As the staff arm of the Public Service Commission (PSC), DPS monitors and regulates electric, gas, water, and telecommunications utilities to ensure they operate in the public interest. The department works to balance consumer protection with fostering fair and competitive energy markets that support long-term sustainability.

DPS plays a vital role in advancing New York’s clean energy goals by implementing initiatives under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and the Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy. It engages regularly with community stakeholders and utility providers to promote equitable access to services, energy affordability, and infrastructure resilience. DPS is also instrumental in handling consumer complaints, enforcing service quality standards, and investigating utility performance.

Key Services:

– Regulation and oversight of electric, gas, water, and telecommunications utilities
– Enforcement of public utility law and service reliability standards
– Consumer complaint resolution and outreach
– Utility rate case evaluations and approvals
– Implementation of state clean energy and decarbonization initiatives
– Oversight of broadband expansion and telecommunications access
– Emergency response coordination with utilities during service disruptions
– Policy development for energy affordability and utility resilience