Upstate Business Community Leaders Call For 'All-Of-The-Above' Energy Generation Strategy

The following joint statement is authored by Rob Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO; Bob Duffy, president and CEO of the Greater Rochester Chamber; and Dottie Gallagher, President and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. It appears as an opinion piece in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: 

New York is emerging as a leader in some of the world’s most important growth industries, including semiconductors, microelectronics manufacturing, AI and more. This remarkable opportunity is due, in part, to work done over generations to invest in these industries and rebuild our Upstate economy. This strategy has only been made possible through a focus on leveraging our assets, one of which is a robust mix of energy assets delivering some of the cleanest and most abundant power generation in the US.  

Today, as we sit on the cusp of a long-sought economic revival, it is more obvious than ever that the economic opportunity awaiting our region's residents hinges on our continued ability to power our businesses and our homes both reliably and affordably. And while that may sound like a simple statement, it belies a political and economic complexity decades in the making. A long period of economic disinvestment in Upstate has constrained energy supply and distribution. Meanwhile, the rapid return of energy intensive industries to New York State is creating unprecedented new demand on our aging infrastructure. Electrification mandates only raise the stakes for all of us as we seek to meet this remarkable moment for all New Yorkers. If we fail to meet these demands, everyday realities — like whether the lights come on when families flip a switch — could become uncertain in parts of our state.

The New York Independent System Operator has made it clear: our grid is strained. Substations are at capacity, key assets are aging, and demand is outpacing supply. New York now imports over 35,000 GWh of electricity each year — enough to power roughly five million homes — from Canada and neighboring states. In plain terms, we depend on others just to keep the lights on. And much of that power comes from less regulated sources, including coal and older fossil plants, which means we’re paying more for dirtier energy while ceding control of a cleaner energy future that we all want. It also jeopardizes our ability to deliver on the promise of newfound economic prosperity for our Upstate residents, in particular. 

This is an "all hands on deck" moment for New York that requires the public and private sector to come to the table with creative solutions. Gov.Kathy Hochul’s focus on an all-of-the-above strategy is a critical foundation, but new investments are needed in carbon-free generation, improved distribution and technologies that can improve efficiency and affordability. Likewise, legislative and regulatory relief is needed with respect to timelines for electrification, specifically. In our present circumstance, these impending mandates will worsen load issues, push businesses elsewhere and do nothing to solve the affordability crisis all New Yorkers face. We can and must do better.

Without accelerated upgrades to our energy infrastructure, New York risks not just higher costs and the very real possibility of outages but a slow erosion of competitiveness as well. Our energy costs are already among the highest in the nation. That’s before the next round of mandated upgrades, rate case increases and new electrification costs hit consumers. Businesses cannot grow and families cannot stay when their power costs rise faster than their paychecks. State and federal leaders must make direct investments in grid modernization — not pass the burden to ratepayers already stretched thin. Reliability and affordability are not trade-offs; they are the foundation of a functioning economy.

Unfortunately, time is not on our side. New York’s grid is projected to reach its first winter peak by 2033 as more heating and vehicles go electric. Without reinforcements, we’re heading toward a clear and predictable crisis. Grid failures will impact residents and businesses alike, in catastrophic fashion. The same grid constraints are already stalling new housing and industrial investments from Buffalo to Long Island. The NY SMART I-Corridor, our chance to lead the nation in semiconductor manufacturing, will only succeed if we can power the fabs and supply chain that come with it. With every passing day we delay, costs climb and opportunities look elsewhere.

When enacting policy, the first responsibility is to ensure it works. We need pragmatic solutions to safeguard reliability, advance clean-energy goals, and protect affordability. Embracing nuclear, hydro, natural gas, renewables and emerging technologies offers a balanced path forward. New York must rally behind an “all-of-the-above” approach for today’s needs and tomorrow’s growth.