New Yorkers pay some of the highest energy prices in the nation. Mandates, surcharges, restrictions and regulatory decisions enshrined into law are the reason why energy prices in New York are less affordable than elsewhere. These high energy prices make it harder to live and work in New York.

New York utilities are forced, by law, to charge you with a “delivery fee” which is actually a subsidy for renewable energy companies; the money is collected through your energy bill and passed along to renewable energy companies to artificially lower the cost of producing renewable energy sources, like wind and solar. Not only does that jack up the price you pay but, it also wrecks havoc on the energy market.

As a result of renewable energy subsidies, paid by you, the customer, New York’s nuclear energy producers have become more unprofitable. Since it is too expensive for nuclear energy companies to operate in New York State, the state subsidizes nuclear energy profits. Guess who pays for that? You do.

Moreover, New York has made it harder for energy companies to source affordable power from within the state. We sit on some of the most reliable natural gas reserves in the country, yet Albany Democrats have blocked pipelines, prohibited new development, and forced utilities to import natural gas from Pennsylvania, Ohio and even Canada. Every mile of transportation adds cost. Those costs are passed directly to you.

It gets worse. New York mandates are requiring homes, businesses, and vehicles to become all-electric based upon arbitrary dates and for a purely ideological purpose. Even the delay of those mandates (whether from the governor’s arbitrary benevolence or from a legal challenge) causes unnecessary anxiety and increased costs. Who bears the cost to switch a house, vehicle, or business to all-electric? You.

Additionally, Albany Democrats never accounted for the cost to implement those mandates or the infrastructure needed to supply a statewide massive increase in electricity. We know that peak load times will cause issues with our grid. To meet those peak loads, utilities will need to build new transmission lines, new substations, new storage facilities and new backup capacity, very little of which has been funded by Albany. Is it any surprise that utility companies are asking for rate increases to pass these costs onto you, the consumer?

According to the state Comptroller’s July 2024 audit, New York hasn’t even calculated the full cost of this transition. The audit states plainly that the state has no viable funding plan, no accurate cost estimates and no backup strategy for implementing technology, like long-duration storage, that doesn’t exist yet at scale. Yet, Albany Democrats continue to stand by their deadlines, mandates, and penalties as though these realities don’t matter creating an unaffordable energy crisis in New York.

The government should not be making it harder on its own citizens. New Yorkers deserve honest, transparent, and affordable energy choices. We can and need to fix it. We should focus on removing or reducing the state-mandated surcharges and hidden fees that quietly inflate every electric bill. You deserve to know exactly which portion of your bill goes to state mandated subsidies. We should eliminate unfunded electrification mandates that pressure homeowners, small businesses and local governments to replace heating systems, vehicles and appliances. Rather, we should permit consumer choice.

We must restore access to New York’s own abundant energy resources, like natural gas, and support the responsible permitting of local energy development, expand nuclear generation and strengthen cogeneration, as the reliable backbones of grid stability.

We should subject New York energy, including renewable energy sources, to the free market. Market competition will fuel a better, safer, and lower priced product. My goal is straightforward: an energy policy grounded in engineering and common sense, that strengthens the grid, meets the energy needs of all New Yorkers, and which lowers your energy bills.

Assemblyman Andrew Molitor represents the 150th Assembly District, encompassing all of Chautauqua County.