ALBANY, N.Y. (WKBW) — A group of Republican state senators is calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a statewide energy emergency, citing what they describe as growing concerns over grid reliability and soaring utility costs tied to New York’s climate policies.
In a letter dated July 10, Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt and more than a dozen fellow GOP lawmakers urged the governor to issue a State Disaster Emergency under Executive Law §28 and suspend provisions of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which mandates sweeping emissions reductions and a transition to clean energy.
“The current trajectory toward an all-electric future presents serious and immediate threats to both the reliability of our power grid and the affordability of energy for New Yorkers,” the senators wrote.
WATCH: NYS Senators call for 'energy state of emergency' citing grid reliability concerns, utility costs
The letter comes just weeks after the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) issued several Energy Warnings, triggered by a significant decline in operating reserves.
Senator George Borello said that because of this, there could be blackouts because of the lack of power supply.
"Everyone else that supplies electricity has been telling them that this isn't going to work," Borello said. "The bottom line is a goal is not a plan, and there is no plan other than these expensive mandates and taking away reliable forms of energy. This is something we've been calling for since the CLCPA has passed, and we have been saying that this isn't going to work."
GOP lawmakers say this is further evidence of what they describe as a fragile grid, strained by mandates including electric vehicle adoption, electric school buses, all-electric buildings, and the Cap-and-Invest program currently under development.
They argue that implementation of the 2019 CLCPA, which aims for net-zero emissions by 2050, could cost as much as $340 billion, with ratepayers already feeling the pressure.
The Governor's Office provided the following statement to 7 News:
The Governor has made it clear she's taking an all-of-the-above approach to energy that prioritizes affordability, reliability, and sustainability. Rather than grandstanding, these legislators would be better off spending their time pushing back against the massive cuts their colleagues in Washington pushed through that will devastate their communities here in New York.
Gov. Hochul also stopped in Western New York earlier this month and shared that her administration is slowing things down.
"We cannot accomplish what those objectives were back before I became governor in a timeframe that's gonna not hurt ratepayers, so we're slowing things down," Hochul said. "Just this morning I challenged a rate increase application that's coming in from utility companies and told the Public Service Commission to take a hard look at that and try to make sure that we don't make life more expensive for people any way we can."
Calling the transition plan “unsustainable,” the lawmakers want a pause and comprehensive review involving energy producers, labor groups, and community stakeholders. They’re advocating for what they call an “all-of-the-above” energy policy that includes not just wind and solar, but also natural gas and nuclear.
Senator Ortt also sent the following statement to 7 News:
The Governor’s disastrous green energy mandates and unrealistic climate goals under the CLCPA are failing New Yorkers - both in terms of affordability and energy reliability. It’s not just me saying it, Governor Hochul herself admitted last week (https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/politics/2025/07/09/nyserda--new-york-may-need-to-rely-on-fossil-fuels-for-longer) it is impossible to achieve the objectives of the CLCPA without pushing the cost onto ratepayers.
This is why the Senate Republican Conference is calling on the Governor to issue an Energy State of Emergency and halt all energy-related mandates. Before charging ahead, we must assess grid reliability, stabilize energy costs, and explore all available energy sources - not just renewables - so we can move forward responsibly and affordably.
