FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, September 26, 2025
Contact: info@publicpowerny.org
AOC Urges NYPA to “Ramp Up Renewables”
Seven New York Members of Congress Support 15GW of Public Renewables in Letter to NYPA CEO
New York, New York- Politico is reporting that Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sent a letter to New Yorker Power Authority (NYPA) CEO, Justin Driscoll in support of the authority building 15 gigawatts(GW) of public renewables. Earlier this week, the controversial Driscoll came under fire for taking over 40 personal flights in NYPA’s $7.5M jet.
The letter, also signed by Congressmembers Tonko, Goldman, Nadler, Velázquez, Meng and Clarke, says “As you continue to expand upon your strategic plans in this and future years, we urge NYPA to continue ramping up renewable development to meet New York’s energy goals.”
Following massive public outcry, NYPA updated its strategic plan to implement the nation leading Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) this summer, doubling the amount of projects it plans to build from a paltry 3.3 GW to 7GW, but still far short of the 15GW needed to meet the state’s legally mandated climate targets.
Public Power NY Coalition released the following statement: “If NYPA can add almost 4GW more to its plan in just six months, doubling the amount of public renewables it plans to build, then 15GW by 2030 is within reach. It’s time for Governor Hochul and NYPA CEO Justin Driscoll to use the most powerful tool in their toolbox to actually serve the people of New York the way FDR intended when he established the authority almost 100 years ago.”
Hochul’s own Lieutenant Governor, Antonio Delgado, was one of thousands of New Yorkers who submitted a public comment calling on NYPA to build 15GW. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani put out a call for comments and New Yorkers helped drive comments through a series of popular videos highlighting the importance of the fight for public renewables and Hochul’s embrace of President Trump’s energy policy.
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Note to the editor:
About Public Power NY
Public Power NY is a movement fighting to ensure New York effectively carries out the Build Public Renewables Act by building 15 Gigawatts of public renewables by 2030. Hailed as the first statewide Green New Deal law, BPRA was written by PPNY and passed in 2023 thanks to four years of organizing by a multiracial, multi-generational movement of climate and advocacy organizations, labor unions representing millions of New Yorkers and tens of thousands of New Yorkers who have taken action from upstate, downstate, and everywhere in between. With federal climate action off the table, BPRA has enabled NY to not just play defense against Trump, but lead the way the way FDR created NYPA to do.