Upstate United Says the Legislature is Putting New York’s Economic Future at Risk as NYISO Issues New Reliability Warnings

October 14th, 2025

ALBANY, N.Y. — Upstate United today warned that the latest findings from the New York Independent System Operator’s (NYISO) Short-Term Assessment of Reliability (STAR) report confirm a growing energy crisis caused by Albany’s failed energy policies.

“For years, Upstate United has warned that New York’s energy mandates are undermining reliability, affordability, and competitiveness,” said Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United. “Now, even as state leaders concede that the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) is unrealistic, no corrective action has been taken to fix it.”

The NYISO report found reliability violations for New York City and Long Island — only the second such finding ever — underscoring that the state’s power grid is increasingly unable to meet demand.

“The message could not be clearer: under current policies, the grid will not be able to accommodate large-load projects or sustain continued electrification,” said Wilcox. “While we appreciate Governor Hochul’s acknowledgment that the CLCPA is flawed, she cannot roll it back by executive order alone. The Legislature must act.”

State officials often describe New York’s energy targets as “goals,” but in practice they are binding mandates — including a prohibition on fossil fuel use in electric generation by 2040. The Department of Environmental Conservation has already blocked the repowering of existing fossil-fuel generators based on CLCPA restrictions, even when those upgrades could have improved both efficiency and reliability while reducing emissions.

“These restrictions are preventing needed investment in energy infrastructure that businesses and families depend on – such as new or repowered gas generation facilities – which investment is now highly unlikely to occur, given the CLCPA’s prohibition of any emissions from the electric system by 2040. The State needs more dispatchable generation, and the CLCPA, as enacted, is acting as a barrier to such investment,” Wilcox added.

Upstate United called on lawmakers to revisit the CLCPA, align its timelines with engineering realities, and fast-track infrastructure upgrades needed to ensure reliable and affordable power.

“The crisis is no longer theoretical — it’s here,” said Wilcox. “If the Legislature continues to ignore the warnings, the economic consequences will be severe.

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