In response to two alarming reports from the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) released this week, Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R,C-Adirondack) was critical of the state’s aggressive push toward rapid electrification, warning that it is setting up New Yorkers for unreliable power and higher energy bills in the coming years.

NYISO’s Short-Term Assessment of Reliability (STAR) projects reliability violations in New York City and Long Island as early as next summer. Generator retirements, surging demand from large-scale electrification projects like data centers and semiconductor manufacturing and outdated transmission infrastructure are driving concerns. The Comprehensive Reliability Plan (CRP) further paints a dire picture over the next decade, citing an aging generation fleet, barriers to new resource development due to burdensome policies, supply chain issues and the potential need for thousands of megawatts of new dispatchable power to avert collapse.

“Albany’s obsession with a one-size-fits-all electrification agenda is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Simpson. “We’re forcing families to swap gas stoves and furnaces for electric alternatives while our grid buckles under the weight of these misguided mandates. Residents across the state shouldn’t have to choose between keeping the lights on and affording their next grocery bill.

“The NYISO reports are a wake-up call,” Simpson continued. “Instead of forcing unattainable green targets, Gov. Hochul and legislative Majority must work with Minority lawmakers to modernize our grid and incentivize diverse energy sources so that ratepayers do not suffer from the fallout.”