New York state’s leaders in the power supply industry have expressed concerns about the electric grid’s ability to meet the demand of new mandates in the 2024 budget. These mandates aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote cleaner energy.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature have agreed to ban new gas hookups and fossil fuel-burning equipment in new buildings under seven stories by 2025 and in other buildings by 2028. Although certain buildings, such as agricultural and manufacturing facilities, are exempt from these mandates, critics argue that the state may not have an adequate power supply to successfully implement these policies within the proposed timeframe.
The 2024 budget also directs the New York Power Authority to increase its renewable energy supply and close its seven peaker plants, which currently burn natural gas to meet the state’s electricity demands, by the end of 2030.
While these plants will be permitted to operate in emergencies or for system reliability, critics like Gavin Donohue, President and CEO of Independent Power Producers of New York, question the feasibility of achieving these goals without a clear alternative to natural gas. Senate Environmental Conservation Committee chair Pete Harckham, however, maintains that an “all-of-the-above approach” is necessary to meet the state’s renewable energy targets.
The new mandates are part of the state’s larger effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050 under the Climate Act.
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