New York's offshore wind keeps the lights on

New York's decades-old electricity infrastructure is struggling to meet our state's energy needs. A dangerous heat wave that descended on the state in June brought that home.

More than 14,000 Con Edison customers lost power in New York City and over 4,000 PSEG customers on Long Island. The grid almost buckled under the demand, and ConEd and PSEG urged customers to reduce their electricity use — even as temperatures reached 100 degrees. Fossil fuel generation couldn't meet New Yorkers' needs, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Offshore wind is here and ready for further deployment to provide New Yorkers with reliable, affordable clean energy whose production does not contribute to climate change.

The Trump administration has repeatedly pointed to high energy demand in the region to justify pipeline projects and expand costly natural gas infrastructure, all while attempting to delay offshore wind projects across the Northeast. On Monday, it paused five projects, including Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind in New York. But gas supply chain delays — up to eight years for gas turbines — mean gas-powered generation simply cannot meet New York's energy needs during extreme heat waves or cold snaps. Even if gas turbines could come online quickly, their prices have skyrocketed, while gas prices are volatile and highly susceptible to spikes caused by global market changes. This means higher, more unaffordable bills for New Yorkers.

A state board just voted to finalize the New York State Energy Plan, which if left unchallenged will prolong our reliance on expensive fossil fuels. The plan lowers New York's offshore wind targets, despite strong data coming out of the South Fork Wind Farm, the nation's first commercial-scale offshore wind project.

Operating since July 2024, South Fork now powers 70,000 homes and businesses across Long Island. The facility was built with union labor, providing over 1,000 workers with steady hours and family-sustaining salaries.

During the first half of 2025, South Fork's wind turbines produced electricity more than 92% of the time, even with varying wind speeds. The power generation and reliability from the wind farm is comparable to, and in some cases surpasses, that of fossil fuel-powered sources.

Offshore wind's reliability makes all the difference in extreme weather. During the June blackouts, grid operators called on every available resource to help meet the critical energy demand. During the power crisis, South Fork Wind emerged as a hero. Its 12 turbines, located 35 miles off Montauk, delivered high amounts of energy — over 87% of its theoretical maximum production — during a crucial window on June 24 from 6 to 9 p.m., when power was most needed. We need more of these proven resources — with no associated ongoing fuel costs — on the grid ASAP.

At a cost of about $1.58 per month for the typical residential customer, South Fork can help New Yorkers avoid seeing gas price spikes increase their electricity bills. In contrast, New Yorkers will pay an estimated $7.50 a month for 15 years just to build the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline project. If all contracted offshore wind projects had been online in 2022, New Yorkers could have saved $77 million in electricity costs in just one high-cost winter month.

The data from South Fork’s first year of operation proves just how abundant a resource we have right here off our coast. New York must prioritize offshore wind's development downstate, including battery storage facilities and the cables needed to bring the power onto the grid and into our homes.

This guest essay reflects the views of Allyson Samuell, senior campaign organizer at the Sierra Club in New York.