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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2025

Contact: info@publicpowerny.org

Public Renewables Transparency Act Becomes Law

Crucial energy authority must disclose vital information to public

Albany, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the Public Renewables Transparency Act (S2462A/A7686) which requires the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to disclose crucial information to the public to ensure that the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) of 2023 is properly and vigorously implemented.  

The bill, passed by the legislature earlier year, would require NYPA to: 

  • Publish three reports per year on the progress of public renewables buildout 
  • Create a public online dashboard tracking the progress of public renewables projects
  • Hold hearings in locations accessible by public transit 
  • Join the state’s energy planning board to coordinate with other agencies 

The BPRA significantly expanded the authority of NYPA to build, own, and operate renewable energy projects, but under Hochul and CEO Justin Driscoll’s leadership, the authority has failed to commit to build the 15GW of public renewables necessary to meet the state’s legally mandated climate targets. The NYPA board of trustees recently approved a 1.5 GW cut from its strategic plan which will lead to the loss of energy savings for New Yorkers struggling with high utility bills, and kill 2500 green union jobs. 

The Public Power NY Coalition released the following statement: “The Public Renewables Transparency Act is a crucial first step to ensure NYPA builds enough renewable energy to lower bills, create tens of thousands of union jobs and meet the state’s climate targets. To build on this win, we are calling for $200 million in next year’s budget for NYPA to develop public renewables and the passage of the Public Power Democracy Act.”

The Public Power Democracy Act (S8610/A9456), introduced by Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha will expand the NYPA board of trustees to 17. 

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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.