Column: State Senator Tom O'Mara

"Lights go out and heat shuts off in homes across NY"

ALBANY, Feb. 15, 2026 -- If you didn't see it, here's the lead paragraph from a February 5th article in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: "Over 400,000 households in New York had their gas or electric service shut off for failing to pay their bills last year, surpassing levels from the Great Recession, state records show."

The article continues, "Year-end totals tallied by the state Public Service Commission show the state's private utilities terminated gas or electric service for 408,898 households in 2025."

Skyrocketing utility costs have been the No. 1 constituent concern that my office and legislative offices throughout this state have been fielding over the past two years. Numerous reports have documented and highlighted what's facing New York's ratepayers. Yet that recent D&C report puts an even more startling and urgent face on it.

It should hit home for every policymaker in this state about just how unaffordable (and devastating) this state has become for everyday New Yorkers, largely due to decisions, policies, and agendas coming out of Albany.

It should also make it even more clear to these same policymakers what many of us have been saying for years now: New York State's direction on energy under the "Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act" (CLCPA) of 2019 is not affordable, feasible, or reliable.

In a further sign of the times -- and of things to come if we continue down this road -- on the night of February 7th, a village-wide power outage hit the residents of Watkins Glen in Schuyler County. The Schuyler County Sheriff's Office issued an emergency bulletin that the outage was "caused by an overload to the system due to extreme cold temperatures and increased use of electric heat."

It all continues to be alarming, and it demands action.

Last week at the Capitol, I joined my colleagues in the Senate Republican Minority Conference to, again, call for this action. We put forth a comprehensive package of legislation, "Affordable Energy, Not Albany Mandates," aimed at addressing New York's skyrocketing energy costs. We noted that New Yorkers are currently weathering some of the highest energy rates in the nation. Residential electricity rates in New York are 50% higher than the national average and rose 7.6% in the past year, faster than the national average. Since the CLCPA's enactment, electricity rates in New York have increased 45%, leading New Yorkers to pay 30%-40% higher rates than neighboring states like Pennsylvania, for example.

Consequently, our conference continues to target state mandates and timelines under the CLCPA, carried forth by two successive Democrat governors and all-Democrat majorities in the State Legislature over the past seven years. Our alternative strategy aims to provide immediate ratepayer relief, enhance cost transparency, and offset costly mandates through legislative actions, including legislation I sponsor that would:

--require any surplus or unspent ratepayer funds remaining in the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's (NYSERDA) Climate Investment Account or any unspent funds collected by utilities be sent back to ratepayers as a bill credit. This bill would result in lowering New Yorkers' utility bills by at least $2 billion at a time when New Yorkers are facing skyrocketing utility bills. NYSERDA's 2025 Financial Plan indicated the authority had $2.4 billion in unspent funds at the end of FY2025 (Senate Bill Number 8461); and

--enact the "Ratepayer Disclosure and Transparency Act" to require a monthly report that includes the estimated or actual ratepayer costs and benefits of any mandated state energy program, including any CLCPA compliance costs (S.6412).

Other highlights of our "Affordable Energy, Not Albany Mandates" plan include:

--S8463 provides a one-year utility bill tax and surcharge holiday and two-year green energy tax holiday, similar to the state's 2022 gas tax holiday, which was implemented when New Yorkers were facing $5-per-gallon at the pump. Government taxes and fees account for between 25% to 50% of a customer's utility bill and this proposal would provide meaningful and immediate relief to ratepayers.

--S7075 repeals the system benefit charge. The system benefit charge is a fee imposed on all ratepayers that provides money to NYSERDA and the state Public Service Commission (PSC). Repealing these fees would lower utility bills.

--S1031 directs the PSC and the State Comptroller to determine the cost of the CLCPA mandates for each ratepayer and to establish a credit for ratepayers and businesses to cover these costs.

--S8669 repeals the CLCPA and replaces it with the THRIVE Council -- Thriving, Reliable, Inexpensive, Versatile Energy. The THRIVE Council would bring together industry experts to chart a realistic, achievable transition to cleaner energy, one that prioritizes affordability, grid reliability, and economic stability.

--S4748 repeals the All-Electric School Bus mandate.

--S1167 repeals the All-Electric Buildings Act mandate.

--S3652 repeals the Electric Vehicle mandate.

Since the CLCPA's approval in 2019, we've watched Albany Democrats move at record speed to pile one unfunded mandate on top of another unworkable policy on top of the next unrealistic directive desperately trying to inflict a zero-emissions economy on this entire state that will have zero impact on the climate. These actions are delivering a heavy price tag that will only get heavier as time goes on for ratepayers. The consequences for ratepayers and taxpayers, small businesses and manufacturers, school districts, farmers, and entire local economies will continue to be devastating.

It has become clear that the current strategy is not realistic or achievable. It is not responsible or rational. There was no cost-benefit analysis. It lacks critical foresight and common sense, and it unreasonably risks energy grid reliability and affordability. New Yorkers need relief now. Our conference is promoting this package of actions to deliver much-needed relief to overburdened ratepayers and to put forth a clean energy strategy that is focused on affordability, feasibility, and reliability.

Photo in text: State Senator Tom O'Mara

Legislature Chairman

Carl Blowers, 535-6174 or 237-5469

Legislature Members:

Gary Gray, 292-9922

Jim Howell, 535-7266 or 227-1141

David M. Reed, 796-9558

Michael Lausell, 227- 9226

Phil Barnes, Watkins Glen, 481-0482

Mark Rondinaro, 398-0648

Laurence Jaynes

County Clerk: Theresa Philbin, 535-8133

Sheriff: Kevin Rumsey, 535-8222

Undersheriff: Andrew Zeigler, 535-8222

County Treasurer: Holley Sokolowski, 535-8181

District Attorney: Joseph Fazzary, 535-8383

State, Federal Officials for Schuyler County

Sen. Charles E. Schumer

United States Senate
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3201
DC Phone: 202-224-6542
DC Fax: 202-228-3027
Email Address: http://schumer.senate.gov/webform.html

Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand

United States Senate
478 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
DC Phone: 202-224-4451
Website: http://gillibrand.senate.gov/

State Senator Tom O'Mara -- Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates, and eastern Allegany County (towns of Alfred, Almond, Amity, Andover, Birdsall, Burns, Grove, Independence, Scio, Ward, Wellsville, and Willing).

Room 706, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Phone: (518) 455-2091
Fax: (518) 426-6976
www.omara.nysenate.gov

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano-- All of Schuyler and Yates, majority of Steuben, and portions of Chemung and Seneca counties.

Room 448, Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
Phone: (518) 455-5791
Fax: (518) 455-4644
Website: https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Philip-A-Palmesano/