Assembly Republican Leader Ed Ra and Western New York Republicans speak about high energy rates in Western New York during a stop in Lancaster this week.

New data indicates what residents here already know: electricity prices continue to rise quickly in the region and state.

On Wednesday, the Empire Center noted New York state has some of the highest household energy prices in the nation, according to Empire Center and U.S. Energy Information Administration data. In December, the state’s average residential electricity price reached 27.39 cents per kilowatt-hour — sixth highest in the U.S. and 59% above the national average. Prices increased 3.7% from November and 12% over the past year, rising twice as fast as the national average and four times faster than inflation.

Natural gas prices moved in the opposite direction. New York’s average residential natural gas price fell 10.5 percent from November to $16.06 per 1,000 cubic feet. Although prices remain 14% above the U.S. average, New York’s year-over-year increase of 4.7% was lower than the national trend.

Since 2019, New York’s average residential electricity prices have risen 58 percent, outpacing the national average increase of 36%. As of December 2025, the roughly 10 cents per kilowatt-hour gap between New York’s electricity prices and the U.S. average was the widest since 2001.

“Electricity demand is increasing everywhere,” said Zilvinas Silenas, Empire Center president. “Yet other states manage to provide electricity for almost half the price.”

The Empire Center publishes monthly updates through its Energy Data Bulletin, tracking electricity and natural gas prices across New York and neighboring states. It can be found at https://www.empirecenter.org/. The center is urging lawmakers to adopt policies that curb rising costs and ensure reliable, competitive, and affordable energy for all New Yorkers.

Those calls are being heard by the minority party.

Earlier this week, Assembly Republican Leader Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) joined Assemblyman Pat Chludzinski (R,C-Cheektowaga), members of the Assembly Republican Conference, Town of Lancaster Supervisor Robert Leary and West Seneca Supervisor Gary Dickson to address the growing concerns on the state’s energy crisis and offer solutions to help Western New Yorkers.

Ra and his colleagues highlighted their “Lights On With Energy Relief (LOWER)” plan to provide relief to New Yorkers. The legislative package is designed to deliver actionable solutions to provide immediate financial relief to ratepayers and identify long-term countermeasures to combat Democrats’ radical climate mandates.

A recent memo from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) reports that compliance cost projections associated with implementation of the state’s energy mandates will result in energy costs in excess of $4,000 for upstate residents and $2,300 for New York City residents. Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York State Budget Director Blake Washington have acknowledged these policies are driving unacceptable cost increases, underscoring the urgent need for the LOWER Plan now more than ever.

“The governor and her administration are finally acknowledging what New Yorkers have been feeling for years — that the climate mandates set before us are unrealistic and financially unsustainable for families and businesses across this state,” Ra said. “The LOWER Plan tackles this energy crisis from every angle: increasing production, strengthening supply and delivering real relief to overwhelmed ratepayers. We cannot protect the grid without protecting New Yorkers’ wallets. The LOWER Plan brings that balance.”

In addition to repeated warnings from the Assembly Republican Conference, leading energy experts, business groups, schools and local elected officials have all raised significant issues emerging from the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act. The New York Independent System Operator cited historical highs for forecasted energy prices — a figure more than double the next highest value since the CLCPA was passed.