Having an electric grid that is reliable 24/7 is critical to the functioning of New York City and New York State. So far, much of the discussion surrounding the state’s grid transition to renewable energy has been centered on concern for the health and safety of residents.
However, blackouts in population dense areas that depend on electric infrastructure can become catastrophic very quickly. This was evidenced by the recent collapse of the power grid in Spain, which caused disruptions to all areas of life.
But there’s an additional important question: Will a renewable grid be able to not only replace existing fossil fuel infrastructure, but also scale quickly to meet the demand created by economic development? The industries of the future are proving to be extremely electricity dependent: Data centers, AI, the internet, and manufacturing all depend on reliable electricity to function properly.
If New York wants to continue to be an economic powerhouse, our grid will need to be able to both sustain these industries and enable their growth.
As energy expert Robert Bryce writes, “The electric grid is the Mother Network. It is the life-support system upon which our entire civilization depends.” It is becoming clear that the system is fragile and we interfere with it at to our own peril. New York’s residents and New York’s economy are at risk if we ignore the warnings.
The April 28 grid collapse in Spain underscores the danger to health and safety that can result from an over-reliance on intermittent renewable energy. The blackout caused disruptions in multiple critical areas: transportation, public transit and traffic signals; communication, including cellphone service; critical health services, including for those reliant on medical equipment. At least seven deaths have been attributed to the blackout, which lasted only a few hours.
Experts are warning that New York’s proposed grid transition and scoping plan have the same vulnerabilities. For example, New York State’s proposed Heat Act advocates for phasing out critical fossil fuel infrastructure before new reliable energy sources become available. New York policy makers should heed the warnings, including ones published here in the Daily News, that these actions will further undermine the grid’s safety.
A recently released report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) makes clear how this might impact economic development as well. They write: “…we’re seeing an almost covert reliance on massive quantities of natural gas turbines in nearly all the announced projects from Meta’s Louisiana site, to Amazon’s Virginia sites, to Microsoft’s sites, and to Open AI’s Stargate site in Texas.” The reason? “The prime drivers in digital domains are reliability and velocity… it’s vital to deliver that power continuously and reliably once operations start.” These companies understand that they cannot leave themselves susceptible to disruption in business activity.
All over the country, small towns are on the cusp of experiencing an economic renaissance as they embrace projects to build AI facilities, data centers, and manufacturing plants.
For example, Homer City, Pa.: “Last month in Homer City, the smokestacks of the generating facility were brought down, and all believed that hope was lost for the little village and the surrounding Indiana County. A week later, the newly formed Homer City Redevelopment announced the plant would be redeveloped into a $10 billion artificial intelligence and data center with a massive on-site natural-gas-fired power plant that would rank as one the largest capital projects in Pennsylvania history.”
These projects show that companies and residents are willing to embrace fossil fuels in order to guarantee grid resiliency, despite warnings from advocates about the consequences to our climate. This underscores how essential grid reliability is to economic development: for all those involved, the reward is seen as much greater than the risk.
New York’s failure to ensure a grid that is reliable, resilient, and scalable would be a disaster for the state on multiple fronts. It will leave New Yorkers exposed to the health and safety issues as recently experienced in Europe. It will also leave residents vulnerable to economic stagnation and decline, as we will be left out of the robust opportunities for economic renewal that energy dependent industries are offering.
It is essential that our grid transition is carefully considered to address all of these questions, before residents reap the consequences of energy myopia.
Menton is the executive director of New Yorkers for Affordable Reliable Energy.