New York Power Authority Board Approves Plan to Add Over 3 Gigawatts of Renewables

The New York Power Authority’s Board of Trustees on Jan. 28 approved a strategic plan to increase the state’s renewable energy capacity and support the goal of reaching 70 percent electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030. The plan identifies 37 renewable energy projects with a combined power generation capacity of over 3 gigawatts, which could potentially power 3 million households.

The plan incorporates input gathered from stakeholders including environmental advocacy groups, local organizations, utilities, consumer groups, and energy developers to gather different perspectives for the plan. These stakeholders gave input on factors such as reliability, cost, siting, and impact on communities of renewable energy projects in the plan.

A portion of the revenue from the renewable energy projects will support initiatives for low-income communities. In October 2024, NYPA gained approval from the New York Public Service Commission to establish the Renewable Energy Access and Community Help to support low-income and underserved communities with utility bill credits.

Developing new renewable power assets is critical for New York to meet its climate targets and achieve a successful energy transition. While the state aims to achieve 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030, the biennial review of New York’s Clean Energy Standard released in July 2024, concluded that New York is trailing behind its ambitious climate targets and will need to significantly expand its renewable energy capacity. In December, the commission approved five major renewable energy projects that could yield $3 billion in economic benefits.