A Smarter Path Forward for New York’s Energy Future
New York stands at a pivotal moment in its energy future. The newly released draft of the State Energy Plan is a welcome change in energy policy — one that finally begins to align ambition with reality. National Fuel has long championed a pragmatic approach to decarbonization, one that balances environmental goals with the essential pillars of reliability and affordability. Now, the state’s own energy roadmap is beginning to reflect that same understanding.
The draft plan candidly acknowledges the mounting challenges facing New York’s aggressive renewable energy timeline. Inflation, transmission bottlenecks, and siting delays are slowing progress. It concedes that the cost and feasibility of rapid and full electrification is unreasonable. This shift — from aspirational targets to achievable strategies — is not just welcome, it’s overdue.
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has been sounding the alarm for months. Its latest Power Trends report warns that reliability margins are shrinking as fossil fuel generation retires faster than renewable sources can replace it. The consequences, NYISO cautions, could be “devastating” for residents and businesses alike. Their message is clear: every plausible option must be considered to maintain grid stability.
One of those options, now acknowledged in the draft plan, is natural gas. Despite previous calls for a rapid phase-out, the plan recognizes that natural gas will remain a critical part of New York’s energy mix for at least the next 15 years. On the coldest days, when demand peaks and renewables fall short, natural gas provides the dependable backup our grid needs and a cheap source of energy to affordably heat our homes and run our businesses.
But its role goes beyond reliability and affordability. Natural gas is also a launchpad for innovation. Many of the technologies that will define our low-carbon future — hydrogen blending, carbon capture and storage, and advanced turbine systems — are being developed with natural gas infrastructure as their backbone. These breakthroughs won’t scale without a stable, flexible energy source to support them. In fact, the success of these innovations depends on maintaining a robust natural gas system that can evolve alongside renewables.
This shift toward a more pragmatic, “all-of-the-above” strategy is encouraging. It reflects a growing understanding that energy policy must balance environmental goals with economic and operational realities. If New York fails to adjust course, it risks adopting policies that undermine affordability and reliability — making it harder to compete with neighboring states.
Take Pennsylvania, for example. At the Pittsburgh Energy Summit last month, I saw firsthand how a balanced energy strategy is attracting billions in investment and driving innovation. Business leaders, bipartisan officials, and energy experts laid out a clear path for sustainable growth — one that embraces renewable energy and yes, natural gas, as well as the infrastructure needed to support it.
New York can’t afford to miss out on these opportunities. That’s why the recent letter from Climate Action Council members Donna DeCarolis and Dennis Elsenbeck to the Public Service Commission (PSC) is so important. Their request for a public hearing to re-evaluate the state’s renewable mandates is grounded in the Climate Act itself, which allows for temporary modifications if mandates threaten the provision of safe and adequate electric service. The evidence — from NYISO’s warnings to the state’s own draft plan — makes a compelling case for action.
For too long, the energy conversation in New York has been dominated by short-term decarbonization targets that lacked a foundation in reality. The draft State Energy Plan offers much-needed course correction. Now it’s time for the PSC to take the next step: hold the hearing, engage stakeholders, and chart a path that ensures New York meets its climate goals without compromising the reliable, affordable energy that powers our communities — and the innovation that will define our future.
And it’s time that energy consumers let their opinions and choices be known as the public comment period on the draft plan is open now through Oct. 6th with meetings scheduled across New York state in September. Click on this link — energyplan.ny.gov/ — for information on the draft plan, to sign up for email updates, view the schedule for all public comment meetings or submit comments about New York’s energy future. If energy choice is important to you, use your voice now.
David P. Bauer, President & CEO, National Fuel Gas Company
