Eight New York Hospitals Won Energy Money. Expected Savings Are Uneven.

Eight New York hospitals will share nearly $28 million for energy projects that Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Monday. The awards target hospital operating costs. They do not set a patient charge or a home electric rate.

NYSERDA is funding the work through its Empire Building Challenge. Geneva General was awarded more than $3.5 million, and a Katz Women's Hospital project nearly $4.3 million. Three Montefiore facilities were awarded nearly $4.9 million. Phelps Memorial, Elmhurst, and St. Barnabas were each awarded more than $5 million. Expected yearly savings are uneven: nearly $947,000 at Elmhurst, more than $561,000 at St. Barnabas, and more than $14,000 across the three Montefiore sites. The state expects the projects to cut more than 213,000 MMBtu a year, about the energy used by nearly 2,600 homes. Six of the eight hospitals are in disadvantaged communities.

Those dollar savings are projections, not money already saved. No hospital bill, premium, or residential utility rate changed on Monday.

Could these awards lower a New York patient's bill or a home electric rate now? No change to a patient charge, an insurance premium, or a household electric rate was announced. The nearly $28 million is project funding, and the savings figures are expected operating costs.