New Yorkers Choose Public Renewables Champion in NYC Mayoral Democratic Primary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, June 25, 2025

New Yorkers Choose Public Renewables Champion in NYC Mayoral Democratic Primary

Zohran Mamdani was key to the passage of the Build Public Renewables Act in 2023

New York, New York – Amidst a crushing heatwave and Con Edison outages across the city, New Yorkers overwhelmingly voted for public renewables champion, Zohran Mamdani, in the Democratic mayoral primary.

The Public Power NY Coalition released the following statement: “Last night’s election results show New York is in a moment of massive political change. New Yorkers elected Zohran Mamdani on a mandate for affordability and a brighter future. Zohran was one of the fiercest champions for passing the Build Public Renewable Act to make electricity more affordable. If anyone in power doesn’t believe New Yorkers are ready to do whatever it takes to unleash the power of the public sector to create tens of thousands of union jobs, shutter racist, polluting fossil fuel plants and build affordable wind and solar at the scale the climate crisis demands, they should take a close look at these unprecedented election results.”

Mamdani was a powerful advocate for the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) which passed in 2023 and authorizes New York Power Authority (NYPA) to build and own renewable energy projects. Along with other legislators, he has called on NYPA to build at least 15GW of public renewables by 2030 to meet the legally mandated goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

NYPA’s initial plan to implement the BPRA proposed a paltry 3GW of renewable energy with very few projects planned for the Hudson Valley and downstate New York, where electricity demand is greatest. Following massive public outcry, NYPA says it will add an additional 3GW of projects.

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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.