If you think power is expensive now, get a load of what it could look like in five years if New York Democrats don’t change their ways.

According to a memo from Doreen Harris, NYSERDA president and CEO, the impact of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act could mean an additional $2.23 a gallon on top of the current prices by 2031 and fuel oil and natural gas costs could increase more than $4,000 a year.

“Notwithstanding these cautions, the modeled price would lead to high burdens to New York households, especially those unable to install lower emissions technologies,” Harris’ memo states.

So, let us get this straight for the record. The New York Independent System Operator says there is a good chance the electric grid won’t be able to meet demand for electricity thanks to the CLCPA. NYSERDA says power prices are about to get so high that most New York households are going to struggle to pay for gasoline for their cars or natural gas to heat their homes. Heck, at that point, we’ll barely be able to afford the gas for the moving trucks.

We hope that enough Democrats see the folly of the CLCPA’s flimsy financial foundation to finally pursue a realistic energy policy. Republicans, you may notice, haven’t argued against Democrats’ end goal for climate policy in New York. The arguments have been about cost to state residents and businesses. They have argued against aggressive timelines that we were never going to be able to meet because the technology isn’t ready. Even now, with a study by an organization whose leadership has been hand-picked by Democrats, there are majority party lawmakers who refuse to alter their sacred cow.

Seven years ago New York’s Democrats trumpeted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

It was going to save everyone gobs of money, people were told. Electrifying the power grid was going to cut carbon emissions, and the state was going to help everyone afford to purchase the equipment to do so. Those who needed the most help making the transition would have it, Democratic lawmakers said.

Those with an ounce of common sense knew the Democrats’ claims were pure bunk. Those who actually live in the real world knew even then that Democrats’ bull-headed push to set the nation’s most aggressive climate laws was going to lead to higher costs for those who can afford higher energy costs the least. We all knew this day was coming, but it didn’t make the recent NYSERDA memorandum that starts to outline those higher costs any less sobering.

Now we know just how badly Democrats screwed up seven years ago. It’s time to fix the mistake – but that’s only possible if enough Democrats realize how badly sticking with the CLCPA hurts the voters they claim to care about.