Letter from Nektarios Harding
New York’s Energy Plan Is Misguided
We must thoroughly check the impacts of constructing data centers in Upstate New York. These centers require inordinate amounts of energy, water and space to operate. What are the environmental impacts associated? What are the health impacts? Where is the energy going to come from? If data centers want to get built in Upstate New York, they should be obliged to build their own power supplies, not rely on state support to build them, or subsidies to keep them functional.
New York has a misguided energy plan, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Plan, that even the authors realize is untenable, and costly. The September 18, 2025 Second CLCPA Informational Report from the New York Public Service Commission confirms that the state is not on track to meet the 70 percent renewable electricity target by 2030, with the PSC tracking compliance, costs and benefits annually.
In 2024, the PSC admitted the 70 percent goal would not be met before 2033, and Governor Kathy Hochul acknowledged “collateral damage” from strict enforcement, while business groups pushed for deadline adjustments.
The 2025 CLCPA report confirms that:
- Deadlines are at risk—the 2030 renewable target is not on track.
- The PSC is monitoring compliance and will continue annual reporting to track progress, costs and benefits.
- Policy adjustments may be needed to address implementation challenges, as noted in prior NYSERDA and PSC reviews.
When the state bodies responsible admit there is a problem, we need to take note.
Nektarios Harding
Jordanville
