Climate and labor advocates are sharply criticizing Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York Power Authority after NYPA finalized an updated renewables strategic plan that significantly reduces the scale of public renewable energy development envisioned earlier this year.
The updated plan trims NYPA’s renewables portfolio from roughly 7 gigawatts outlined in a draft plan released this summer to just under 5.5 gigawatts in the version approved by the NYPA Board of Trustees on Tuesday. Advocates with the Public Power NY coalition describe the change as a 1.5-gigawatt rollback that they say undermines New York’s ability to meet its legally mandated climate targets under the state’s broader climate law.
New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requires the state to reach 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% zero-emissions power by 2040. While the Build Public Renewables Act—passed in 2023—authorizes NYPA to develop and own renewable energy projects, the 15-gigawatt figure frequently cited by advocates reflects their estimate of how much public renewable capacity will be needed to help meet those statewide targets.
Public Power NY says the reduction in NYPA’s portfolio will worsen both the climate crisis and the state’s affordability challenges, eliminate an estimated 2,500 green union jobs, and contribute to higher utility bills. The coalition is urging Hochul to include $200 million for public renewables in her upcoming executive budget proposal.
“This is Trump and Big Tech’s energy plan, not New York’s,” said Alex Patterson, Public Power NY’s campaign coordinator. “Hochul is rejecting the only path to clean and affordable energy for working New Yorkers.”
Advocates also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, pointing to reporting that Hochul’s husband earns nearly $1 million annually at a law firm representing fossil fuel companies tied to projects the governor approved last month, including the Williams NESE gas pipeline and the Greenidge crypto mining facility. A recent report cited by the coalition also claims fossil fuel interests have spent nearly $16 million lobbying Hochul’s administration to stall or weaken climate policies.
Under NYPA President and CEO Justin Driscoll, the authority initially proposed developing about 3.3 gigawatts of public renewables. After more than 10,000 public comments and pressure from lawmakers including Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, NYPA expanded that figure to nearly 7 gigawatts in its draft updated plan over the summer. Advocates say the final version adopted this week represents a major retreat from that earlier expansion.
NYPA, for its part, says the updated plan reflects changing market conditions, project attrition during due diligence, interconnection constraints, and the loss of key federal tax incentives. The authority emphasized that the strategic plan is an evolving document that will continue to be updated as new projects become viable.
Public Power NY is now calling on the NYPA board and the governor to reverse the reduction and pursue a public renewables portfolio large enough, in their view, to fully align with New York’s climate commitments.
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