New Yorkers Can Expect Gas Shortages to Get Worse as Prices Continue to Rise

November 26, 2019

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo swiftly points the finger at state utilities once the backlash of his own bad decisions on natural gas prevents his constituents’ access to affordable and efficient energy.

According to the New York Post, members of the state’s Public Service Commission warned of the effects Cuomo’s decisions would have on the energy supply:

“The most important thing is to keep the lights on,” said Burman, who emphasized the state needs to rely on a variety of energy sources before transitioning to cleaner, renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and thermal.

“Those who say ‘no new pipelines’ should look at what the ramifications are,” Burman said.

Cuomo’s own actions of vetoing the construction of several much-needed natural gas pipelines led the National Grid, who provides natural gas on Long Island, to impose a moratorium on natural-gas hookups to prevent supply disruptions when demand spikes.

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board reports:

After folks on Long Island protested—one homeless shelter estimated that electrification would cost an additional $200,000—Mr. Cuomo last week ordered National Grid to reconnect over a thousand customers. He also directed state regulators to investigate National Grid’s decision to disrupt natural gas service and threatened to yank its monopoly.

National Grid now says it plans to truck in compressed natural gas to meet peak demand. Exactly how will this reduce CO2 emissions? The utility won’t be able to guarantee uninterrupted service for the tens of thousands of customers who want to switch to natural gas from heating oil, which emits 38% more CO2. About a quarter of New York households rely on heating oil.

According to the Energy Information Administration, the average household that uses natural gas for heating this winter will spend $580 compared to $1,501 for heating oil and $1,162 for electricity. A household that uses natural gas for space and water heating instead of electricity will save about $2,400 per year.

The WSJ concluded that the political campaign to ban fossil fuels is detached from energy and economic reality. We couldn’t agree more.