Candace BarnetteThe New York Power Authority (NYPA) issued an updated draft of its Renewables Strategic Plan, originally published in January of this year. The plan focuses on NYPA efforts to improve the state’s energy grid by developing, owning and operating renewable energy generation and storage sites throughout the state.
The updated plan more than doubles the original power delivery goal of three gigawatts (GW), now targeting seven GW just six months later. It adds 20 new renewable energy projects and more than 150 power storage projects across the state. According to officials, this would produce enough energy to reliably power around seven million homes.
The updated plan includes 217 projects overall, spanning 17 solar arrays, three wind farms and 156 total energy storage systems distributed throughout New York State.
The largest planned project is a 500-megawatt (MW) compressed-air energy storage system in Lewis County, using an innovative technology approach for long-term storage. Other energy storage projects in the plan are much smaller in scale, focusing on community-level battery systems that improve grid reliability and provide bill credits for low-income areas.
Two major solar installations lead the power generation projects. The first is a 350 MW solar farm planned for Niagara County with an estimated completion in 2031. The second is a 240 MW farm in St. Lawrence County, currently scheduled to open in 2028.
While the updated plan touts billions of dollars in possible public and private investments, actual project costs are kept secret until deals are fully executed. NYPA argues this is essential to keep developers interested and protect deal terms during negotiations.
Some funds have been approved and allocated, however, including an initial $100 million investment from NYPA in October 2024 to begin work on planned renewable energy projects. The NYPA board also approved $25 million in available funds on a yearly basis for workforce development.
NYPA is seeking additional developers for planned projects through an open Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process, accepting applications on a rolling basis through Sept. 30. So far, 94 developers and investors have been pre-qualified.
NYPA outlined multiple operating models for their projects, including co-development partnerships, build-transfer agreements and direct project purchases. According to the plan, the authority retains flexibility to define its role based on specific project needs and partnership structure.
However, most projects in the updated plan use co-development arrangements, allowing private companies to work directly with the public authority throughout the development process and giving vendors access to NYPA financing capabilities and critical energy transmission infrastructure.
The authority proved it could move from planning to ownership by acquiring the Somers Solar project in February, a 20-megawatt (MW) installation in Washington County. The transaction marked the first renewable energy project from the NYPA strategic plan to become operational under the authority’s direct ownership.
NYPA set an expedited schedule to finalize the strategic plan and move projects forward. Public comments on the current draft are due by Sept. 12, with public hearings scheduled for Aug. 19 and 20. The authority is seeking final board approval by December and will issue annual updates to the plan through 2035.
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