From WindNewsToday Staff | Source: Public Statements, New York post

Offshore wind transmission New York City halted amid Trump legacy — while nation’s largest offshore wind Farm is gaining momentum!

A tipping Point In The Wind

offshore wind is a stunning blow to the clean energy economy, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) is stopping the process for approving vital offshore wind transmission New York lines that is intended to deliver renewable electricity to the downstate region of New York City. The commission’s action, industry advocates say, is the single most severe blow so far to New York clean energy policy and climate goals — and they are placing the blame squarely on former President Donald Trump offshore wind opposition.

The PSC attributed the decision to federal uncertainty and Trump administration hostility toward offshore wind as the reasons for putting construction approvals on ice. The ruling, delivered with little fanfare but resonating mightily throughout the state’s energy sector, punctures New York’s signature climate law — the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act — which requires a power sector free of carbon by 2040 and a mix that includes 70 percent renewable energy by 2030.

“Offshore wind transmission New York Halted is significant,” said John B. Howard, a former PSC chairman. “The Climate Act is not operational. “We’re obviously going to be way past the emission deadlines.

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The Trump Shadow Still Looms

New York clean energy policy once made the state a national leader in clean energy innovation. But the P.S.C.’s stepping on the brakes of transmission lines essential for offshore wind integration shows a structural weakness one that would have become clear if it became impossible to get the wind-generated electricity to where it is most needed, New York City and left those targets a pipe dream.

Offshore wind projects in the United States, which have long been stymied along the East Coast, are facing a critical, make-or-break moment as a flurry of developers push to bring the turbines to American waters. The United States was rushing toward its 2030 clean energy goals, even New York clean energy goals — delivering clean electricity to trillion NYC homes and creating thousands of renewable energy jobs — but several new federal policy reversals under the former president, Donald Trump, are progressing the opposite.

Just yesterday, California’s clean energy companies were warning of this. They urged Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers to act quickly in response to drastic changes to federal tax policy under Trump. Industry leaders said the revisions endanger billions of dollars in investments in renewable energy and could upend California’s ambitious clean energy goals.

And all of this anxiety comes hot on the heels of another huge blow — the U.S. Department of the Interior last Friday said it would stop fast-tracking approval for solar and wind projects on federal land. And now, the effects have landed in New York.

In a surprise move today, the New York State Public Service Commission, PSC halts wind transmission lines that would carry offshore wind power to New York City and downstate. Without this crucial infrastructure in place, the most ambitious offshore wind projects will be unable to deliver electricity to homes and businesses—and their promise will remain unrealized.

“For now, offshore wind remains a promise deferred in New York.”

New York offshore Wind Projects already in the queue or under contract will likely move forward, but without the necessary transmission assets, it’s unlikely that much more development or full scale expansion will take place. State officials say the decision to pause is calculated and temporary, a safeguard to protect ratepayers at a time of political and economic volatility. But with the flawed and shifting landscape of federal support, the long-term roadmap now seems even more nebulous.

About offshore wind transmission New York — South Fork Wind — a great example of New York offshore Wind Projects, just completed in spring 2024 with creating nearly 1000 green jobs in 5 states — would connect offshore wind farms in the Atlantic Ocean to substations in the New York City metropolitan area, are now in legal limbo. Without these projects, there would be no practical way to transport the energy even if offshore wind farms were built.

Energy sources say the decision has the state’s green energy law “in shambles,” and throws into question the future of offshore wind as a significant power source for downstate New York.

Ratepayer Risk Amid Federal Paralysis

Beneath the PSC’s order looms the fear that New Yorkers, stuck with higher utility rates to pay for infrastructure that may never be used, could be left holding the bag. Customers of gas and electric utilities would have covered the costs of the transmission lines — a long-term investment that was financially viable only if the offshore wind projects went forward.

But it’s the refusal of the Trump administration to grant new offshore wind leases and permits in its term that has paralyzed certain pivotal developments. The Biden administration has since resumed permitting, but the PSC remains leery, warning that future federal elections might return more opponents to power, threatening long-term projects.

“There is no time to wait. The lowest-cost energy future for New York will feature a significant complement of offshore wind,” Alliance for Clean Energy New York and New York Offshore Wind Alliance (NYOWA) said in a joint statement. “We need our state to invest in transmission infrastructure and bolster a grid that will be able to accommodate the increasing demand for energy and at the same time save ratepayers money over the long term.”

The two groups maintain that if nothing is done New York risks being left lagging in the national race toward clean energy supremacy.

Politics and Permits: Trump’s Lasting Influence

The Trump administration’s wariness of offshore wind left a mark. Crucial permit freezes, regulatory barriers, and public resistance made for hostile local conditions for developers and financiers. And in the friendlier federal climate ushered in by President Biden, the scars remain, especially as at the state level, where projects take years to build and often require the support of many consecutive political administrations to finish.

New York Offshore wind projects can take more than a decade to develop — and that span frequently overlaps with tumultuous political cycles. Even small uncertainties can cause investment to freeze and execution to be postponed.

The PSC’s hesitation reflects that reality, and is not entirely unexpected given the political winds.

Hochul’s Balancing Act

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a longtime proponent of New York’s transition to renewable energy, had the PSC’s careful approach to the issue. And while saying she remained committed to clean energy and looking to shield ratepayers from financial risks associated with an uncertain federal support, an American Recovery Plan advocated the need for pocketbook protections.

“Governor Hochul has fiercely supported and remains committed to renewable energy projects, including offshore wind, but there is no doubt that, in this era of federal uncertainty, New York ratepayers need to be protected,” said Ken Lovett, her senior advisor for energy and the environment.

“In light of the political hostility to New York offshore wind projects from the federal government, and the consequent economic uncertainties surrounding such projects, we believe the PSC is correct that it would be unfair to burden ratepayers with the costs of a project that is not likely to produce any real benefits,” Lovett said. “When conditions are more favorable, we will be ready to proceed quickly.”

Offshore Wind Transmission New York Halted, Advocates React

The decision — PSC halts wind transmission lines, has been criticized by the clean energy industry as short-sighted. Advocates say that halting the development of new long-distance transportation now simply worsens the longer-term climate crisis, and that it lets fossil fuel infrastructure reign in the meantime.

“We appreciate concerns about cost — but inaction is even costlier: the cost of an increasingly damaged climate,” said Anne Reynolds, Executive Director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. “Delaying transmission is delaying progress.”

Trump offshore wind opposition decision by New York could cast a chill on the rest of the offshore wind industry in the Northeast at a time when states such as New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are moving forward with their own transmission and wind deployment plans.

What’s Next?

For the moment, offshore wind lies as a promise deferred in New York. New York offshore Wind Projects that are already under contract can go forward, but there is little chance of further expansion to reach full scale without the “wires” to move the power. State officials emphasize that the pause is temporary and the result of strategy — the road ahead is hazier without more significant federal support, however.

The latest comes amid mounting frustration in the renewable energy industry. Now, offshore wind — long an iconic symbol of forward-looking climate ambition — is ensnared in a battle between state ambition and federal skepticism. Now, projects that require at least a decade of work to develop and build face a crucial question: Can they survive politics that are in a constant state of flux?

As climate deadlines loom and the demand for clean energy grows, the question is no longer whether the United States can lead the world in renewable energy — it’s whether it can regain lost momentum in time.

Can New York Catch the wind once again before it blows past?

Source — New York Post — https://nypost.com/2025/07/17/us-news/new-york-halts-offshore-wind-power-lines-citing-trump-opposition/

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