New York Power Authority (NYPA) approved its first strategic plan to expand renewable energy resources across the state. The plan will add more than 3 GW of renewable capacity from 37 projects to the state, 2.8 GW of which will come from 30 solar projects.
NYPA released a draft for the plan in October, followed by a dozen public hearings throughout the state. NYPA said it considered and incorporated the feedback they received during the public hearings, including expressed concerns related to affordability, cost, reliability, siting and sentiment.
In response to comments that called for more details related to the project, the final plan outlines the methodology and selection criteria NYPA uses to vet proposed projects, as well as additional details about these projects and their locations.
The strategic plan’s draft included 40 projects, which had a combined capacity of more than 3.5 GW. The final plan’s 30 GW of combined capacity include 30 solar projects among its 37 projects, which will add 2.8 GW of solar capacity through utility-scale solar projects and distributed energy resources.
NYPA was given enhanced authority to build and operate renewable energy projects in 2023–2024 budget. NYPA generates 22% of the state’s power, according to NYPA. NYPA is required to update its strategic plan at least once per year. NYPA’s statute requires additional projects to be considered in a public hearing and 30-day public comment process.
The New York State Public Service Commission approved a request by the NYPA to establish the Renewable Energy Access and Community Help (REACH) program in October, which provides electric bill credits to low-income households in disadvantaged communities across the state.
NYPA said it will also submit annual reports to the state’s governor and legislative leaders on both its renewable program and the REACH program. The REACH program’s bill credits will be funded from a portion of revenues from new renewable-energy generating projects that are developed or contracted by NYPA.
NYPA also announced it reopened its Request for Qualifications to additional private developers, which will remain open until Sept. 30. Submissions can be made here, which NYPA will review on a rolling basis.
The newly formed NYPA renewables program emphasizes early progress in areas like staffing, contractor engagement, due diligence processes, best practice research, and project development. The group also conducted a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis to identify how it can compete in New York’s well-established clean energy market. Key advantages cited include:
- Access to diverse capital sources.
- High credit ratings and a strong balance sheet.
- Land siting and permitting expertise.
- The Direct Pay program.
- A reputation for reliability among diverse customer bases.
- Strong ties to the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), potentially easing interconnection challenges.
Per its charter, the NYPA is required to own a majority percentage of projects it develops. However, the agency is exploring flexible development and ownership models, including Build-Transfer Agreements, where it fully acquires constructed projects at agreed-upon milestones, and direct project involvement, offering strategic support during development phases.
While NYPA advanced these renewable projects, New York State also cast a wide net in its energy strategy. A separate Request for Information issued by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in November 2024 sought to gauge interest in advanced nuclear technologies, reflecting the state’s commitment to exploring all pathways to a zero-emission electricity grid by 2040.
Addressing NYSERDA’s Request for Information advancing the state’s nuclear technologies, NYPA’s final Renewables Strategic Plan said “some stakeholders urged NYPA to consider building nuclear power to meet the state’s target for an emission-free power grid by 2040.” However, NYPA’s final plan reminded these workers that “nuclear power does not meet the current definition of a renewable energy system in New York State.”
The NYPA Renewables Strategic Plan, which includes a list of the 37 approved projects, is available here.
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