Op-Ed by Assemblyman Will Barclay
New York is on the cusp of a full-blown energy crisis, and the real tragedy is that if catastrophe does strike, it will have been entirely avoidable.
Since the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) was passed in 2019, the Assembly Minority Conference has warned that our energy grid is in serious jeopardy.
Our concerns about the rushed electrification of New York’s power grid are shared by independent energy experts, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), and countless New Yorkers who are tired of watching energy prices spike while grid stability plummets.
NYISO has been sounding the alarm about potential energy shortfalls for years. Prior to a targeted 2025 heatwave warning, the energy management organization stated broadly that full electrification under current conditions is not feasible at best and dangerous at worst.
Fast forward to earlier this week, when NYISO flagged another disturbing anomaly: forecasted energy prices hit a historically significant high—more than double the next-highest value recorded since the CLCPA was passed.
According to the organization, on Jan. 28, day-ahead pricing—a mechanism that helps stabilize energy costs by using predictive models to facilitate energy purchasing—reached more than $1,000 per megawatt-hour in many regions of the state. Since 2019, that number has never broken $400 in the central region, and just one week earlier, lows in the central region were around $55.
This drastic fluctuation is unprecedented. NYISO representatives attribute this abnormal volatility to aging energy infrastructure, higher natural gas costs, and growing electrification straining the state’s grid. New Yorkers should not have to worry about whether their home energy needs are at risk every time we experience a snowstorm, cold snap, or heat wave.
What do all of these factors have in common? They fall squarely within the purview of the governor and the Legislature to fix. Instead of racing to eliminate natural gas and other traditional heating methods, we must develop a diverse, resilient energy grid that leverages nuclear, renewable, and traditional energy sources.
Simply put, we are nowhere near ready for full electrification, and if New York attempted to meet the emissions demands of the CLCPA as written, we would not have enough power to heat and cool homes, hospitals, schools, and emergency services.
As such, I have sponsored legislation (A.653) to protect energy choice in New York and ensure customers have access to the type of energy that makes sense for them. Conference members have also proposed a wide range of reforms designed to bolster reliability, keep costs down, and protect vulnerable New Yorkers.
Legislating is rarely straightforward. But when experts, non-governmental agencies, the public, and lawmakers at every level are explicitly and repeatedly warning that something is wrong, leaders ought to listen. This is one of those cases.
To my colleagues and the governor: New York must take a more measured approach to grid reliability. We need more generation—including natural gas—to come online quickly to avoid a crisis. There is no defensible excuse not to.
Will Barclay is the leader of the Assembly’s Republican Caucus