Senator Pam Helming is warning that New York’s strained electric grid is blocking much-needed housing development and pushing affordability further out of reach for working families.
In a statement Helming criticized the state’s climate mandates and electric capacity shortfalls as the primary culprits behind stalled housing projects and rising costs.
“In Ontario County alone, more than 650 new homes are at risk of not being built,” Helming said. “The reason? The required electric capacity does not exist.” She said the cost to bring power to just one project is estimated at $10–$25 million, transforming “attainable” homes into unaffordable ones.
Helming pointed to recent reports from the New York Independent System Operator and the State Comptroller as evidence that the grid is under growing strain. She also cited proposed utility rate hikes and all-electric mandates—such as for school buses and homes—as adding financial burdens to residents already struggling with high bills.
“These actions are driving up costs and put public safety, housing development, and basic grid reliability at risk,” she said.
Helming called for common-sense energy reforms and expanded use of nuclear power while pressing for delays to the state’s all-electric policy rollouts. “Affordable and reliable power isn’t optional,” she said. “It’s essential for our communities, our economy, and our future.”
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