NYPA Reviewing 5GW of New Public Renewables

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 19, 2026

NYPA Reviewing 5GW of New Public Renewables

As Hochul claws back climate law and doubles down on expensive gas and nuclear, Public Renewables remain only climate and cost solution for New Yorkers

White Plains, New York – The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees announced today they are reviewing nearly 5 gigawatts(GW) of new public renewables as it implements the Build Public Renewables Act (BRPA).

The positive development comes as Governor Kathy Hochul has taken state budget negotiations hostage to force rollbacks of New York’s nation-leading climate law. Hochul has doubled down on “anti-affordability strategies” of more fracked gas and nuclear, as the energy affordability crisis worsens for New Yorkers.

Thousands of New Yorkers and elected officials, like Mayor Zohran Mamdani, have called on Hochul to build 15GW of public renewables to lower bills and to meet the current legally mandated targets of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. NYPA leadership acknowledged the “heavy push” by the public for 15 gigawatts and CEO Justin Driscoll said, “We’re seeing more opportunities. We’re overall bullish on the role that NYPA will play.”

Alex Patterson, Campaign Coordinator for Public Power NY, said: “It is a bleak time for climate action in Kathy Hochul’s New York, but public renewables is the one bright spot. Rolling back our climate law and doubling down on expensive fracked gas and nuclear will only worsen New York’s energy affordability crisis. Public renewables remain the only climate and cost solution for New Yorkers and any leader in Albany serious about it must ensure it is funded with $200 million in this year’s disastrous budget.”

Legislators and thousands of New Yorkers have demanded $200 million for public renewables in this year’s budget and NYPA leadership acknowledge the importance of the $200 million they received in last year’s budget for expanding their portfolio of clean energy projects. The budget was due on April 1 and lawmakers are still hashing out the details of funding for public renewables.

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Note to the editor:

About Public Power NY

As chronicled in the new book “Organize or Burn.” 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.