Every time I write about this subject it has gotten yet a little more ridiculous. The background is that back in 2019 New York, both State and City, set themselves targets for “emissions” reductions and energy transformation that are quite literally impossible as a matter of physics, thermodynamics, and cost. And then, just to show who is the boss here, they made the impossible targets mandatory by statute.
In the case of New York State, the statute in question is the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA or Climate Act). Among the many requirements of that statute, the most immediate are a mandate for 70% of electricity from “renewables” by 2030 (known as “70×30”), and another mandate for 100% of electricity from “zero emissions” sources by 2040 (“100×40”). I should also mention that the CLCPA in addition contains a deadline of January 1, 2024, for the State Department of Environmental Conservation to issue regulations informing us peasants how these various impossible mandates of the CLCPA were/are going to be achieved. That latter deadline, you will note, has long passed.
So here we are, seven years into the CLCPA morass. The 2024 deadline for regulations got completely blown off without any attempt at compliance. With four years to go toward the “70×30” mandate, it would be a gross exaggeration to describe progress toward that target as “negligible.” The wind and solar facilities that were supposed to be generating our electricity by now have mostly not been built, and the few that have been built generate very little and at inconvenient times. The natural gas plants that are the backbone of the current system and were thought to be obsolete and ready for closure have gotten seven years older without any useful upgrades or replacements under construction. And our lightweight Governor, running for re-election, can’t afford to offend the climate activists who are a key part of her base.
So what is the strategy? As far as I can tell, Hochul’s strategy is to pretend that there is no Climate Act, and hope nobody will call her on it. To use an analogy that I have used before, she is like Wile E. Coyote, having run off the edge of the cliff, and just beginning to notice that he is about to fall to the bottom of the canyon.
There was Governor Hochul on January 13, just a couple of days ago, delivering her annual “State of the State” address. Here is the full text. Somehow, all mention of the Climate Act and its mandates has magically disappeared. You’ll need to scroll about 80% of the way through the blather of this speech to find any mention of energy policy at all. And when you get there, it’s about nuclear:
And speaking of preparing for the future, we must plan for the energy that industries require. Last summer, I took the bold step of greenlighting the first nuclear power project in a generation, a vital part of our all-of-the-above approach to energy. At the time we set a goal of building one gigawatt of nuclear power. But if there’s one thing I believe, it’s this: Go big or go home. So I’ve decided to raise the bar to five gigawatts. That’s more nuclear energy than has been built anywhere in the United States in the last 30 years!
“Bold!” Readers may remember that back last June Hochul shocked the world by announcing that she had commissioned a State agency, the New York Power Authority, to go out a build one new 1 GW nuclear plant. At the time, this was no more than a raw concept. There was not so much as a selected site, let alone a proposed design or a vendor. Here seven months later, there still is not a selected site. The State is out inquiring among upstate communities as to which ones might be interested. The last nuclear plants to be built in the U.S. (the Vogtle plants in Georgia) were 14 years from shovels in the ground to commercial operation. Here we are easily three years, and probably five, before shovels in the ground. This is not happening in any relevant time frame.
And I like that line about “our all-of-the-above approach to energy.” You have to wonder if Governor Hochul has even read the CLCPA. Its approach to energy is the opposite of “all-of-the-above.” Some might call the statute’s approach “ban everything that works.”
Over at the Gothamist today, they seek out some environmentalists who are not fooled by Hochul’s pretending not to know about the CLCPA. The headline is “Climate activists find little comfort in Gov. Hochul’s State of the State message.” For example, there is this from a co-founder of the Seneca Lake Guardian:
“ Governor Hochul has betrayed New Yorkers. She’s not following the law, plain and simple, and all of us are deeply disappointed in her failure to lead and represent the people when it comes to public health and affordability in this state,” said Yvonne Taylor, co-founder of Seneca Lake Guardian.
And what’s up with that January 2024 deadline for regulations that Hochul just completely blew off? Readers may remember that back in October a State Supreme Court Justice ordered the State to publish the missing regulations by February. He gave the State the several months from October to February so that the administration could go to the Legislature to seek a modification of the statute if they thought the mandates were infeasible. Now we are in mid-January.
So what has the State done? It has appealed the Supreme Court’s ruling. If you are the State of New York in state court, filing an appeal gives you an automatic stay of the court’s order. (Private litigants get no such consideration.). Given the pace at which the appeals court (known as the Appellate Division) moves, that will likely put any decision on whether the State must publish the CLCPA regulations well past November’s election.
Thus, as far as we can tell, Kathy Hochul, along with the citizens of New York State, will live like Wile E. Coyote, suspended in mid-air over the energy canyon, at least through the Fall.
Since the net zero targets are obviously impossible to achieve, there is no benefit to Kathy Hochul in even attempting to achieve them. I forecast that the strategy will be to kick the can down the road until she retires from politics. If she is actually called out on the targets, she will blame previous politicians for setting impossible deadlines. She will then try to amend the law to add ten years to the targets which should bring the implementation dates beyond the end of her political career.
This is reminiscent of the California electricity crisis (2001). At one point, it was proposed that the nuclear navy, docked in the Naval Bases, should be connected to the grid. Dissatisfaction with how this resolved had consequences:
There’s also a parallel between today’s Mania for Artificial-Intelligence Tech (‘Data Center’ construction) and the Dot-Com Boom-Bust of that same period (‘Server Farms’ buildout too rapid for the electric power supply).
NYC residents of today have a similar attitude** to coastal Californians of a quarter-century ago.
Meanwhile, just south of NY State (and sharing a long border*), Pennsylvania is re-legislating itself out of its self-imposed grid-electricity crisis, along the lines of the Texas state reforms —
https://amgreatness.com/2026/01/15/the-grid-is-warning-pennsylvania/
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**The attitude of New-Yorkers may be summed up by this exchange (not making this up):
Q. What Body of Water lies East of North America?
A. Oh, that’s an easy question: It’s the Hudson River!
*Bonus Geology-Question: What is Utica in relation to Marcellus?
Democrats and other progressives have, by and large, simply accepted on faith that climate change is a significant problem that must be addressed to save the earth, and that ending fossil fuel use will be less expensive than not doing so. Converting someone from their religion is really difficult, and converting a large population, who tend to reflexively reinforce existing norms rather than encourage rational thinking, happens really slowly. We should be glad we have people like Francis Menton out in the wilderness doing the hard work of preaching the truth. Keep it up, Francis!
Republicans have their own matters of faith, but that’s a different discussion.
Even if
climate change is a significant problem that must be addressed to save the earth,
and even were they possible to do, the New York plans will have no effect on it
This is the insane thing about the climate movement, people in it keep on insisting on doing things ‘because climate’ that are both impossible to do and useless if successfully done.
She will be out of office before any of the political consequences are felt. Living on her grand pension she will be able to denigrate her successors at will.
The big question is how can Hochul’s opponents use this issue?
New York State is eager to buy variable, intermittent electricity at 15 c/kWh from foreign owned and operated, environment-destroying, socially disturbing, windmills, but does not want to buy clean, low-cost, abundant natural gas from nearby Pennsylvania, which would produce electricity at 5 c/kWh using low-cost, quickly constructed, small foot print, 60%-efficient CCGT plants
NY doesn’t need gas from PA when it has a vast supply of its own but won’t drill/frack for it.
That too.
The Europeans have plenty of gas, but don’t want to frack for it either.
The US should not bail them out by shipping LNG.
That gas should stay in the US to power US factories that make goods and services for domestic use and export.
That would force a faster switch to renewables in europe. So probably not the worst idea.
Dreams are nice, but they are no basis for real world policy.
We have a balance of trade deficit and should sell whatever other nations want to buy including energy. There’s a lot of gas in the ground so selling some won’t cause a problem here.
Thank you for this update. The Wile E Coyote reference is perfect for those of us of a certain age who watched the cartoons as kids.
While the court case is going on, the push for wind + solar + massive battery support continues on its absurd trajectory.
Here is an example in my area. I am familiar with this substation at which a 40MW battery installation is being proposed. 13 containerized modules, most likely the Tesla Megapack units.
https://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2026-01-15/44164/Sherburne-residents-and-firefighters-voice-concern-over-proposed-industrial-battery-facility
Connecting the dots, assuming this battery project eventually goes forward, what will end up being the source of the electricity for charging? Nuclear and hydro, as those are far-and-away the dominant source for our upstate region. We are in NYISO zone E. See figure 23 in this report. 80% nuclear + hydro for 2024.
https://www.nyiso.com/documents/20142/2223020/2025-Power-Trends.pdf/
Sure, it might also represent a sink for excess wind energy on occasion. Peanuts.
Thank you for listening.
You should form a movement to secede from New York and form a new state: Northern New York State and become free from Gov. Kathy and
her Enforcers of the Climate Cartel.
Look to Canada for electricity. Ontario is starting the construction of small module reactors. Four 300 MW reactors are to be built.
Mining for limestone and turning limestone into concrete for the tower base is NOT zero emission.
Mining iron and turning iron into steal rebar, and steel components of the tower is not zero emission.
Mining copper and rare earths to manufacture the electrical components is not zero emission.
Using oil to manufacture the fibre glass blades is not zero emission.
The mandates for zero emissions of wind turbines, solar panels and/or electric cars are delusions of the various governments and their voters imposing this.
These mandates do not save the world from any changes to climate.
These mandates create profits for the big companies.
These mandates cause costs and inflation to increase.
These mndates do not stop deterioration of infrastructure eg. water pipes and roads.
These manddates no not repair infrastructure.
These mandates no not help the increasing numbers of those struggling to feed themselves via foodbanks, or to find and pay for housing.
We need more CO2 ppm to increase flora and fauna, reduce desert areas, increase crop yields per acre to better feed 8 billion people.
Net Zero by 2050 to reduce CO2 is a super-expensive suicide pact that empowers/enriches bureaucrats and wealthy elites and impoverishes all others.
In my hometown of Lee, MA- there was once a big concrete business. I recall their huge furnaces to cook the concrete. Just googled what it takes to cook it and got:
I worked at a drinking water plant. We used calcium oxide in the water softening stage.
Our supplier offered us a tour of the limestone mine. It was huge underground. (Part of it ran under the Ohio River.)
For what we used, they crushed the limestone to 3/4 inch size then sent up on conveyors that ran through two huge, outdoor, rotating cylinders huge. They were the furnaces.
When it rained or snowed it would evaporate before the cylinders got wet.
One guy who worked there said the only time he ever saw them get wet was during the Blizzard of ’78.
The furnaces emitted CO2 and the limestone released CO2 as it was changed from calcium carbonate to calcium oxide.
The main ingredients for the manufacture of Portland cement are limestone and shale. A mixture of the two powered ingredients are fired at 2700° F in a rotary kiln.
I love the smell (and sound) of Alarmist backpedaling in the morning.
You need to understand what being green is all about-
We Infiltrated Private Anti-ICE Groups. This Is What We Found | Ep. 1716
It’s not about nut zero outcomes but raw naked power and enjoying the trappings of power and the slushfunding. Real outcomes be damned.
This article covers basically the same thing re: anti-ice. https://freebeacon.com/trump-administration/who-funds-the-groups-harassing-ice-agents-in-minnesota-the-lefts-premier-foundations-and-dark-money-networks-have-given-millions-records-show/
“Last summer, I took the bold step…”
The left hates it when Trump brags about something. Apparently it’s OK for Hochul to brag.
Bold they can be for lefties but woke they must be-
Report: Mamdani accused of having ‘no interest’ in NYC black community
unless they can be contextualised as promoting the struggle.
AGW mitigation is nothing but one big virtue signal for politicians. The only way to stop it is to vote in someone who understands the scam …. hello Trump.
The only way Western nations well end this green folly is to realize the source of the problem. There are forces out there that want to destroy the West and any independance or liberties that still remain. Then realize that bombs and troops will destroy the prize but that political bribes/funding, control of the media and control or the educational system will cost a mere pittance.
This is better characterized as energy policy facades or paper mache. The usual approach of no policy will continue along without notice.
To either avoid or maximize confusion, in New York, the lowest general jurisdiction court is the Supreme Court. Appeals from that court are to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Further appeals to the highest court in the State are to the Court of Appeals.
The Chip Plant that Ate New York
Micron’s new semiconductor plant in Clay, New York, is projected to consume approximately 7.15 million megawatt-hours (MWh) per year once the first phase of development (comprising Fabs 1 and 2) reaches operational status in 2030.
Micron has requested grid connections as early as 2025–2026, with an initial draw of up to 480 megawatts (MW) of continuous power to support early operations.
By 2043, when all four planned fabs are complete, the complex is expected to consume 16,000 to 16,170 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually. At this scale, the facility will require roughly 1.85 gigawatts (GW) of continuous power—surpassing the annual electricity usage of Vermont and New Hampshire combined.
The plant has committed to using 100% renewable energy from wind, solar, and hydro to power its operations. However, Micron’s agreement with the State of New York allows the corporation to purchase in-state and out-of-state Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to cover its renewable energy obligations.
The Micron plant will draw its electricity from the New York power grid. Because the New York grid is attached to other regional grids, the plant will be consuming electricity generated by coal-fired, gas-fired, and nuclear power plants.
This comment has been written with the direct assistance of Google AI. The comment is divided into four parts covering the following major topical areas which are attached as replies to this initial post:
— Part 1 of 4, Power Consumption Overview
— Part 2 of 4, Renewable Energy Resources
— Part 3 of 4, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
— Part 4 of 4, The Micron Green CHIPS Sustainability Plan
The Micron chip plant will become, all by itself, a major consumer of energy in the US Northeast. Given that the plant will be competing for a growth-constrained supply of electricity as demand for electric power in the US Northeast increases — new load being added from a variety of sources — its very presence in the region will place upward pressure on the price of electricity to New York and New England industrial and residential ratepayers.
The Chip Plant that Ate New York — Part 1 of 4, Power Consumption Overview:
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1A): How much electricity will Micron’s new computer chip plant in Clay, New York, consume in its first year of operation in the year 2030?
Micron’s new semiconductor plant in Clay, New York, is projected to consume approximately 7.15 million megawatt-hours (MWh) per year once the first phase of development (comprising Fabs 1 and 2) reaches operational status. Initial electricity consumption details for the project include:
— First Year and Phase 1 Usage: Micron has requested grid connections as early as 2025–2026, with an initial draw of up to 480 megawatts (MW) of continuous power to support early operations. For context, this is enough electricity to power roughly half a million homes.
— Operational Timeline: Site preparation began in late 2025. Major construction on the first fabrication plant (Fab 1) is scheduled to begin in late 2026. Meaningful production and full operational power draw is expected to ramp up through 2029–2030.
— Full Build-Out Consumption: By 2043, when all four planned fabs are complete, the complex is expected to consume 16,000 to 16,170 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually. At this scale, the facility will require roughly 1.85 gigawatts (GW) of continuous power—surpassing the annual electricity usage of Vermont and New Hampshire combined.
To support this massive load, National Grid is currently expanding its infrastructure, including a new 345-kilovolt transmission link approved in late 2025 to connect the Clay substation directly to the Micron campus.
1B): What renewable energy resources will power Micron’s New York plant?
Micron’s New York plant has a goal to use 100% renewable energy for its electricity needs, with a preference for in-state sources, as part of a “Green CHIPS” sustainability plan. The specific renewable energy sources planned to power the facility include:
— Hydropower: Micron has secured an agreement with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) for 140 megawatts (MW) of power, primarily from the Niagara Falls and St. Lawrence power dams.
— Wind Power: An agreement for 178 MW of onshore wind power has been signed to help meet the plant’s demand.
— Solar Power: While the current energy agreements do not fully cover the eventual massive demand, solar power is another source the company intends to utilize and is exploring options for.
— Green Hydrogen: The company is also exploring the use of green hydrogen (produced using renewable electricity) as an alternative to displace natural gas used for heating.
For any power demand not immediately met by direct renewable supply, Micron plans to purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). The state’s plan also provides flexibility, allowing the purchase of out-of-state RECs if necessary.
The Chip Plant that Ate New York — Part 2 of 4, Renewable Energy Resources:
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2A): What are the timelines for other renewable sources to power the plant?
Micron has established agreements for specific renewable sources, but definitive timelines for when each individual source will begin supplying power to the new plant are not fully specified in public reports. The overall project timeline has been delayed, with the first plant now expected to be operational in late 2030.
Key points regarding the timelines for other renewable sources:
— Hydropower & Wind Power: Micron has already secured agreements for 140 MW of hydropower from NYPA dams and 178 MW of onshore wind power through a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement with Terra-Gen. These agreements provide a basis for the renewable energy supply, but the actual delivery of power is tied to the plant’s operational timeline, which has shifted.
— Solar Power: There is no specific timeline for a large-scale solar project to power the plant, as current analyses indicate that even covering the entire 1,400-acre campus with solar panels would only provide a small fraction of the facility’s massive power needs. The company is exploring options and plans to purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for power not directly supplied by renewable sources.
— Green Hydrogen: The use of green hydrogen is still being explored “to the extent feasible” as an alternative to displace natural gas. The implementation timeline for this is also not clearly defined.
— Full Build-out: The entire four-fab campus is scheduled to be built out in phases through 2041, and reach full production capacity by 2045. The goal of 100% renewable energy use is for the entire facility once operational, likely scaling up as the fabs come online.
2B): What are the future plans for solar and green hydrogen integration at the Micron site?
As of 2026, Micron is integrating solar and green hydrogen as part of its Green CHIPS Sustainability Plan for the New York megafab, which officially breaks ground on January 16, 2026.
Future Solar Energy Integration
Micron intends to use 100% carbon-free electricity at the New York facility, with solar playing a supportive role alongside secured wind and hydropower.
— On-Site Capacity: While the 1,400-acre campus will feature some on-site solar, company analysis indicates that covering the entire site would only meet a small fraction of the massive power demand.
— Regional Collaboration: Micron is leveraging partnerships similar to its recent 40 MW project with Idaho Power to source off-site solar energy through programs that allow large customers to co-develop renewable projects.
— Renewable Energy Credits (RECs): To bridge the gap until direct solar and wind capacity reach required levels, Micron plans to purchase RECs for any power not directly supplied by carbon-free sources.
Future Green Hydrogen Integration
Green hydrogen—produced via electrolysis powered by renewable electricity—is a key exploratory component of the site’s greenhouse gas mitigation strategy.
— Replacement Goals: Micron plans to explore using green hydrogen “to the extent feasible” to replace the consumption of natural gas and “gray” hydrogen (fossil-fuel derived) for heating and industrial processes.
— Net Zero Target: This integration is a critical pillar for achieving the company’s aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Implementation Timeline
— 2026: Ground preparation and early construction begin following the January groundbreaking.
— 2026–2030: Development of infrastructure to support initial renewable energy draws of up to 480 MW.
— 2030: Expected operational start for the first fabrication plant (Fab 1), marking the first major phase of renewable energy and potential hydrogen deployment.
The Chip Plant that Ate New York — Part 3 of 4, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs):
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What are the RECs that Micron plans to purchase for the NY plant?
Micron’s “Green CHIPS” sustainability plan for its New York plant requires the purchase of Tier 1 Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), primarily from New York State sources, although the specific generator names for all future purchases are not yet publicly detailed. Out-of-state RECs may also be purchased. Key details about the RECs Micron plans to purchase:
— New York State Requirements: The Green CHIPS program prioritizes in-state sources to meet New York’s Clean Energy Standard goals. New York State’s program requires utilities and other entities to procure Tier 1 RECs, which represent one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity generated by new renewable sources that began commercial operation on or after January 1, 2015
— Specific Sourced RECs: The power purchase agreements (PPAs) Micron has already signed will generate RECs from specific sources:
—— Hydropower: 140 megawatts (MW) of power (and associated RECs) from the New York Power Authority (NYPA) dams, such as Niagara Falls and St. Lawrence.
—— Wind Power: 178 MW of onshore wind power (and associated RECs) from a PPA with Terra-Gen.
— Flexibility: For any electricity demand not met by these specific PPAs or on-site generation, Micron plans to purchase additional unbundled RECs on the open market. The state’s plan allows flexibility to purchase out-of-state RECs if needed.
— Tracking and Verification: The RECs in New York are issued and tracked by the New York Generation Attribute Tracking System (NYGATS). The purchases will likely use a certification program, such as Green-e, to ensure the environmental attributes are accounted for and are voluntary purchases above and beyond mandatory requirements. RECs may also be purchased from out-of-state sources.
The Chip Plant that Ate New York — Part 4 of 4, the Micron Green CHIPS Sustainability Plan:
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What is the Micron Green CHIPS Sustainability Plan?
The Micron Green CHIPS Sustainability Plan is a comprehensive environmental and community framework required by New York State’s Green CHIPS legislation to secure up to $5.5 billion in performance-based tax credits. As of January 2026, with the official groundbreaking occurring on January 16, 2026, the plan focuses on three core pillars:
1. Environmental Sustainability Targets
Micron has committed to making the Clay, New York facility one of the most sustainable semiconductor plants globally by achieving these specific goals:
— 100% Carbon-Free Electricity: Utilizing renewable energy (wind, solar, and hydro) for all on-campus power needs.
— 100% Water Stewardship: Aiming for 100% water reuse, recycling, and restoration across its New York operations.
— LEED Gold Certification: All fabrication plants (fabs) and office buildings must be designed and built to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status.
— Zero Waste to Landfill: Implementing aggressive waste reduction measures to eliminate hazardous and non-hazardous waste sent to landfills.
— Green Hydrogen Exploration: Evaluating the use of green hydrogen (produced via renewable electrolysis) to replace natural gas for heating and industrial processes.
2. Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund
A $500 million fund established over 20 years to ensure regional growth benefits local residents
— Funding Split: Micron is contributing $250 million, New York State $100 million, and $150 million will come from local and national partners.
— Investment Areas: The fund targets four priority categories: workforce development, education, community investments, and housing.
3. Economic and Workforce Commitments
To maintain eligibility for the state incentives, Micron must meet strictly enforced benchmarks:
— Job Creation: Create at least 9,000 direct jobs and 50,000 total regional jobs over the project’s life.
— Diversity and Inclusion: Aiming for 30% of eligible construction spend and 20% of annual operating spend to go toward businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI), including M/WBEs and veteran-owned businesses.
— Prevailing Wages: Pay federal prevailing wage rates for all project construction.
The plan is subject to ongoing monitoring, with Micron required to provide annual reports on its progress toward these greenhouse gas mitigation and community investment targets to remain eligible for the Green CHIPS tax credits.
After Administrator Lee Zeldin of the EPA rescinds the Endangerment Finding of 2009 for CO2, whatever will Micron do? Most likely they will chuck all these grandiose plans and build on site CCGT power plants. That what I would do if I were the CEO of Micron.
IMHO, neither the State of New York nor Micron has a clue about how this plant can ramp up to the levels of power consumption it needs 24/7/365 without putting significant stress on the regional power grid. They are both playing some kind of game here, the details of which will be slowly emerging over the next three to five years.
Russian roulette is the name of that game.
It can’t be said enough government should not be in charge of energy production and transmission. New York makes it clear. The only way government should be involved is to lightly regulate the industry. Nobody knows better what systems to build, how to maintain them and how to distribute the power. Government is a worthless POS in all three regards.
to issue regulations informing us peasants
Correction. Not peasants. Deplorables.
like Wile E. Coyote, suspended in mid-air over the energy canyon, at least through the Fall.
At which point the fall will start.