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New Yorkers are paying more for energy than ever—and the gap is only widening. Even before this winter’s cold snap, electricity bills in New York were already 44 percent higher than the national average, placing a growing strain on households and businesses alike.
These rising costs are often blamed on weather or global markets. But the reality is that state policies play a major role in shaping how much families and businesses pay each month.
The impact of these policies is already clear. According to the Department of Public Service, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) increased residential electric bills by 4.6 percent to 10.3 percent in 2023. By 2024, some large industrial users were seeing CLCPA-related costs account for more than 20 percent of their total electricity bills—putting jobs, investment, and economic growth at risk.
And these costs are poised to rise further. A recent analysis from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) found that the state’s forthcoming cap-and-invest program could increase gasoline prices by $2.23 per gallon—adding roughly $1,700 per year for the average household. When combined with rising utility costs, total annual energy expenses could climb by nearly $4,000 per household.
Despite this, some lawmakers have attempted to distance themselves from these impacts, suggesting that programs like cap-and-invest are optional or not required under the law. But a recent court decision makes clear that this argument does not hold up. The CLCPA explicitly directs regulators to adopt rules that ensure statewide emissions limits are met—leaving little room for anything short of comprehensive, enforceable policies capable of delivering those reductions.
And yet, even as the financial strain on households and businesses grows, Albany has failed to take meaningful steps to address affordability or reconsider the policies driving these increases. Instead, leaders continue to deflect responsibility while costs climb.
This is not an unavoidable outcome. It is the result of policy choices.
New Yorkers deserve honesty about what drives their energy bills—and a clear accounting of the policies behind those costs. At a minimum, lawmakers should support measures like the Ratepayer Transparency Act, which would show consumers how much of their bill is driven by public policy versus the actual cost of energy. Transparency alone won’t lower costs, but it is a necessary first step toward accountability.
More importantly, Albany must acknowledge that affordability, reliability and emissions reduction must be balanced—not pursued in isolation. Continuing down the current path—imposing new costs while delaying practical solutions—will only deepen the state’s affordability crisis.
New Yorkers are already paying the price through higher bills and increasing uncertainty about the reliability of their energy system.
The choice facing Albany is clear: continue deflecting responsibility while costs climb, or take meaningful steps to restore balance, improve transparency, and deliver relief before higher bills and reliability risks become even harder to reverse.
Justin Wilcox
Executive director, Upstate United
The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. See “Leave a Reply” below to discuss on this post.
Perhaps we should focus instead on how we have begun to look more like a third-world country instead of “the leader of the free world” — controlled by oligarchs who steal from everybody.
The data sets are clear and the results are in. We now suffer extreme inequality. It didn’t “just happen”, it was engineered over more than half a century.
Pity our posterity. We have done this to ourselves. Sigh.
FYI upstate United is a UPAC and advocacy group controlled by businesses and chambers of commerce. They are by no means an NFP and they represent businesses not the average taxpayer based on their board and funding makeup. They are a coalition of 80 plus business and trade groups – they represent those groups not everyday taxpayers, which of course doesn’t prevent them from attempting to push our buttons regarding increasing energy costs. If this letter were lobbying against Trump and his middle eastern war mongering instead of against climate control and for energy independence through renewables they would be more believable. Of it they were day pressuring hochul to be more proactive at limiting rate hikes through the PSC. As it is, consider this COMMENT your grain of salt to take along with their stance.
Energy prices show up monthly. Insurance prices do, too. We are lucky in Rochester to still be able to get property insurance because hurricanes, tornadoes and floods are not frequent. Manhattan and coastal regions aren’t so lucky with weather. No matter what policies the law sets, or how long Hochul is in office, the laws of physics are much sturdier and longer lasting: climate disasters are here to stay. Prices for finite resources will keep rising. We can mitigate the global prices with our own local electric generation: solar and wind are not finite, nor under military attack. I’d like some more of that stability, please!
I am not familiar with Upstate United and their policy positions. Regardless, the author raises significant issues with respect to rising energy costs that certainly effect most New Yorkers. At the very least, I think an additional level of transparency from Albany lawmakers and energy suppliers is warranted.
So, is the idea here the tiresome, old canard that we should just accept air pollution and adverse climate change to keep prices down? If so, without a proposed solution to those very real problem, it’s a pretty boring screed.
Yes by all means let’s be sure out children suffer from climate change issues rather than changing the way we consume energy now. That makes sense. We just let the next generation suffer because we want to keep using fossil fuels and polluting the air cheaply.