How Penn Yan's municipal electric utility works, who it serves, and why your rate is different from NYSEG customers.
Penn Yan operates its own municipal electric utility — the Municipal Electric Utility — which distributes power to village residents and businesses. Unlike most of upstate New York, which is served by NYSEG (New York State Electric & Gas), Penn Yan village customers receive electricity through a utility owned and operated by the Village of Penn Yan.
The utility is governed by the Village's Municipal Utilities Board, which meets monthly. This arrangement has historically provided lower electric rates to village residents compared to surrounding areas.
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Penn Yan Electric purchases wholesale power from the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and other sources, then distributes it to customers.
The village owns and maintains the local distribution infrastructure — poles, wires, and transformers within the village.
An appointed board oversees rates, capital projects, and policy. Meets monthly at Village Hall.
Any large-scale development within or annexed into the Village of Penn Yan will connect to the Penn Yan Electric system. The proposed Route 14A development — if annexed — would increase demand on the village electric system. Residents have raised questions about whether the current infrastructure can absorb this load without rate increases or reliability impacts.
Read: Route 14A DevelopmentSource: Village of Penn Yan Municipal Utilities Board records. Verified March 2026. Contact: Penn Yan Village Hall (315) 536-3015.