{"id":408586,"date":"2025-10-16T19:59:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T17:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=408586"},"modified":"2025-10-16T19:59:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T17:59:15","slug":"nyiso-weighs-in-on-the-new-york-state-draft-energy-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=408586","title":{"rendered":"NYISO Weighs in on The New York State Draft Energy Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Aerial<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Manhattan Contrarian<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Francis Menton<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NYISO is the New York Independent System Operator \u2014 the not-for-profit entity created to manage New York State\u2019s electrical grid. Their main job is assuring that there is sufficient electricity generated moment to moment to closely match customer demand. Neighboring states have multi-state ISOs (i.e., PJM and ISO-NE) to do the same job, but being New York, we have our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there is any entity that ought to be loudly outspoken about New York\u2019s ridiculous energy schemes, it is NYISO. After all, when generating most of our electricity from wind and sun proves not to work, as it will, and when the blackouts follow, as they will, NYISO stands to get a large share of the blame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So where are they? The good news is that they are slowly waking up. The bad news is that even now they are not being nearly as outspoken or as loud as they should be. On October 6 they submitted a long (25 page) Comment on the State\u2019s new Energy Plan<\/a>. That Comment takes the level of their expressed alarm to a new, if still unjustifiably muted, level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As background, in 2019 New York State enacted its Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, mandating, among other things, 70% of electricity generation from \u201crenewables\u201d by 2030, and 100% from \u201czero emissions\u201d sources by 2040. At the same time, New York City enacted its Local Law 97, mandating (via complex maximum emissions formulas) that most large buildings convert to electric heat by 2030. Supposedly, the State and City would enable fulfillment of these mandates through having developers construct large amounts of wind and solar generators. That process had barely gotten off the ground when, earlier this year, the federal government ended nearly all of the grants and subsidies that had made construction of wind and solar facilities at all feasible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 25 the State\u2019s Energy Planning Board came out with its self-described \u201cDraft Energy Plan.\u201d<\/a> It\u2019s a \u201cdraft\u201d because they are taking comments and may even make some revisions depending on those (don\u2019t count on it). In a post on August 11<\/a> I described the so-called Plan as \u201chundreds of pages of fluff,\u201d <\/em>cheerleading for a supposed transition to a renewables-based electricity system but lacking anything as basic as a feasibility study or a cost projection. I then submitted my own Comment on the Plan and had a further post describing that on September 27.<\/a> Key takeaway:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[T]he so-called \u201cEnergy Plan\u201d is not an energy plan at all.  It would more accurately be described as random musings and wishful thinking by some completely incompetent people who have no idea what they are doing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So with that background, let\u2019s take a look at NYISO\u2019s newly-issued Comment.<\/a> This sentence from page 1 is fairly representative of the overall tone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NYISO submits these comments to highlight electric system reliability concerns and to offer approaches that support ongoing electric system reliability through competitive markets for consideration as part of the final State Energy Plan.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are submitting comments to \u201chighlight . . . concerns.\u201d<\/em> Yes, I guess so, but I find that a wholly inadequate statement of the problem. In fact, the energy bureaucracies are driving the State down an impossible path from which it becomes increasingly difficult to exit before disaster strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This from pages 2-3 is a little stronger, but still much less specific than it needs to be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Large energy-intensive economic development projects, such as semiconductor manufacturing plants and data centers, are driving up demand for electricity significantly after relatively flat demand trends over the last decade. Collectively, all these elements create uncertain conditions today, in the near term, and in the longer term, and each uncertainty has the real potential to cause major impacts on electric system reliability. All electric industry stakeholders, including the state agencies involved, must be aware of and factor these concerns into their planning and strategy. Progress towards the CLCPA goals, other public policies, and supplying the electricity that New Yorkers demand requires the State Energy Plan to support a well-functioning, reliable electric power sector. Reliable electric power is the foundation of the State\u2019s plans to electrify other aspects of the economy and to reduce emissions. The NYISO urges the Board and NYSERDA to consider these comments and prioritize electric system reliability in the final State Energy Plan.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They just can\u2019t make themselves say out loud that wind and solar by themselves cannot provide reliable electricity to match demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you move through the Comment, the statements get stronger, little by little. From page 6:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fossil-fuel-based generation is and will continue to be necessary to meet consumer demand and to maintain electric system reliability. The final State Energy Plan must include a recommendation consistent with the Draft Plan observations that combustion generating units \u201cremain essential parts of electric grid reliability and affordability, and retirement of these units will not be able to occur until resources that provide the same grid reliability attributes are put in place.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From page 8:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply maintaining the existing fossil-fuel-based generation fleet and carefully managing the requirement of these resources over the next fifteen years is not enough to maintain electric system reliability. The electric system needs all existing generation resources <\/em>and<\/em><\/strong> needs new generation resources before the current fleet suffers a catastrophic failure that jeopardizes the health, safety, and welfare of New Yorkers.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNew generation resources\u201d are needed, but the State\u2019s Climate Act requires those to be carbon-emissions-free. We are therefore talking about the magical \u201cdispatchable emissions-free resources\u201d (DEFRs) that will supposedly replace fossil fuel generation to meet the requirements of the CLCPA. Can we somehow get ourselves to say that those don\u2019t exist and are not going to exist in any relevant time frame? We come to a discussion of that subject on page 14:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NYISO fully supports identifying and developing technologies that have the greatest potential to support electric system reliability and the needs that will arise throughout this energy transition. As noted in the Draft Plan, many of the technologies necessary to meet system needs for firm, dispatchable capacity are not yet commercially available at scale. The development of these technologies must start now as these technologies need to be proven and deployed to the electric grid before the resources that currently supply the energy that consumers demand and the reliability attributes needed to support the grid can be retired.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DEFRs \u201care not yet commercially available at scale\u201d<\/em> and therefore \u201cdevelopment . . . must start now.\u201d<\/em> How lame is that? They just can\u2019t bring themselves to say that \u201cyou must admit that this is not going to happen.\u201d With a mandate for tens of thousands of megawatts of these mythical generators by 2030, and it\u2019s almost 2026, we haven\u2019t even started \u201cdevelopment.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least you don\u2019t need to read between the lines of this Comment to see that the NYISO is issuing a very explicit warning to the State\u2019s energy planners. But still, with the planners offering no idea as to feasibility, cost, or time frame for availability of necessary new resources to support the energy transition, the best the NYISO can say is to \u201cstart development now\u201d? What they should be saying is that this can\u2019t work, it won\u2019t work, and continuing further down this path is incompetent, irresponsible, and dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the people at the other State energy bureaucracies like NYSERDA and the Energy Planning Board, I\u2019m not saying that the people at NYISO lack competence. However, it is a problem that the entity is organized as a not-for-profit. Nobody there has any skin in the game, and they are unlikely to be held accountable when there are catastrophic system failures. It\u2019s just one more instance of a failed socialist-lite model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NYISO is the New York Independent System Operator \u2014 the not-for-profit entity created to manage New York State\u2019s electrical grid. Their main job is assuring that there is sufficient electricity generated moment to moment to closely match customer demand. Neighboring states have multi-state ISOs (i.e., PJM and ISO-NE) to do the same job, but being New York, we have our own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":408589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"Explore NYISO's critical stance on New York's energy plans, emphasizing the need for reliable electricity amid ambitious renewable goals.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"NYISO Sounds Alarm on New York's Energy Transition Risks","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691838882,691818154,691829254,691838881,691820535],"class_list":{"0":"post-408586","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-dispatchable-emissions-free-resources-defrs","9":"tag-net-zero","10":"tag-new-york-independent-system-operator-nyiso","11":"tag-renewables-based-electricity-system","12":"tag-wind-and-sun-cult","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AQMetzDdI3XmBgpHxmS-EAYNW5lIHVTcZwZHeG7x44SA6BomvA1_41CStkXorXV6iaTy6f9KfafT4jjd-neHsijX6S5XF4_3u1EPWy938E698mxd1iO0y84W6m5JYQz-dNj8U_nvAxiXv6F0_yQcm5RFgHTsEg.jpeg?fit=1280%2C1280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1Ii6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":381946,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=381946","url_meta":{"origin":408586,"position":0},"title":"New York Electric Power Trends","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/06\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Recently the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) released\u00a0Power Trends 2025.\u00a0 This is the NYISO\u2019s annual description of factors influencing New York State\u2019s power grid and wholesale electricity markets.\u00a0 It suggests that there are looming issues with New York\u2019s aspirational net-zero transition plans that must be similar to transition plans\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)\"","block_context":{"text":"Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=department-of-environmental-conservation-dec"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/OIG-20.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/OIG-20.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/OIG-20.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/OIG-20.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":333237,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=333237","url_meta":{"origin":408586,"position":1},"title":"Get Out the Popcorn \u2013 NYS Heat Wave Might Affect the Grid","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"18\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) recently issued its Power Trends which is billed as their \u201cannual analysis of factors influencing New York State\u2019s power grid and wholesale electricity Markets\u201d. This post highlights the expectation that electricity supplies will \u201cbe adequate to meet expected summer demand under baseline conditions,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"heatwave\"","block_context":{"text":"heatwave","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=heatwave"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/00-NYS-Heat-Wave-Might-Affect-the-Grid-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/00-NYS-Heat-Wave-Might-Affect-the-Grid-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/00-NYS-Heat-Wave-Might-Affect-the-Grid-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/00-NYS-Heat-Wave-Might-Affect-the-Grid-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/00-NYS-Heat-Wave-Might-Affect-the-Grid-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":388595,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=388595","url_meta":{"origin":408586,"position":2},"title":"Just When You Think It Cannot Get Worse","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"13\/07\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I recently described the Energy Innovation Policy and Technology analysis: Assessing Impacts Of \u201cOne Big Beautiful Bill Act\u201d On U.S. Energy Costs, Jobs, Health, Emissions. The analysis included astoundingly biased claims of the effects of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. I really did not think that I would see\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate activist\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate activist","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-activist"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQPp875macw_X12jZ1O7hdx-Qo7PJR8OJtdQEMNsf-fQumNcuIcEbannTC0VQNjEcfct8h7EjEgCdJRXq61KIT7VpSzk9KVvbohCnK4UyD39ZLgXctdVSSw-d2SziebPo-IxLzBAmSXFbrkuF2DLO4DEx1bm-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQPp875macw_X12jZ1O7hdx-Qo7PJR8OJtdQEMNsf-fQumNcuIcEbannTC0VQNjEcfct8h7EjEgCdJRXq61KIT7VpSzk9KVvbohCnK4UyD39ZLgXctdVSSw-d2SziebPo-IxLzBAmSXFbrkuF2DLO4DEx1bm-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQPp875macw_X12jZ1O7hdx-Qo7PJR8OJtdQEMNsf-fQumNcuIcEbannTC0VQNjEcfct8h7EjEgCdJRXq61KIT7VpSzk9KVvbohCnK4UyD39ZLgXctdVSSw-d2SziebPo-IxLzBAmSXFbrkuF2DLO4DEx1bm-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQPp875macw_X12jZ1O7hdx-Qo7PJR8OJtdQEMNsf-fQumNcuIcEbannTC0VQNjEcfct8h7EjEgCdJRXq61KIT7VpSzk9KVvbohCnK4UyD39ZLgXctdVSSw-d2SziebPo-IxLzBAmSXFbrkuF2DLO4DEx1bm-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQPp875macw_X12jZ1O7hdx-Qo7PJR8OJtdQEMNsf-fQumNcuIcEbannTC0VQNjEcfct8h7EjEgCdJRXq61KIT7VpSzk9KVvbohCnK4UyD39ZLgXctdVSSw-d2SziebPo-IxLzBAmSXFbrkuF2DLO4DEx1bm-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":334423,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=334423","url_meta":{"origin":408586,"position":3},"title":"New York State June 2024 Heat Wave Summary","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"24\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Before the heat wave started this week my article, Get Out the Popcorn \u2013 NYS Heat Wave Might Affect the Grid, about the potential impact on the New York State grid was published. Even though there is continued heat it appears that the worst is over so this is an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"95 degrees\"","block_context":{"text":"95 degrees","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=95-degrees"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0GettyImages-1410528779.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0GettyImages-1410528779.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0GettyImages-1410528779.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0GettyImages-1410528779.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0GettyImages-1410528779.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":245757,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=245757","url_meta":{"origin":408586,"position":4},"title":"New York Independent System Operator Information for Policy Makers","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"26\/02\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The implementation plan for New York\u2019s\u00a0Climate Act \u201cNet Zero\u201d target (85% reduction and 15% offset of emissions) by 2050 is underway.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-850.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-850.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-850.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-850.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-850.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":334210,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=334210","url_meta":{"origin":408586,"position":5},"title":"In Case You Think Someone Has The Answer To New York’s Looming Energy Disaster","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"23\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In this post last week, I took note that New York\u2019s electric grid system operator, NYISO, has recently issued some clear, if muted, warnings of the impossibility of the energy transition mandated by the state\u2019s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). 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