The time to speak up is now.
National Fuel supports reducing emissions in New York in a way that’s reasonable and preserves the affordability and reliability of the energy system. Rather than going “all in” on electrification, we believe an “all of the above” emissions reduction strategy makes more sense. Through a combination of energy efficiency, selective electrification, hybrid heating solutions and deployment of low- and no- carbon fuels, we can leverage existing utility infrastructure to achieve significant decarbonization that not only meets the State’s emissions goals, but also preserves access to low cost, reliable and resilient energy for New Yorkers.
It’s not too late to make your voice heard.
Tell Governor Hochul and Albany policymakers to reject any plan that removes your right to continued natural gas service.
The push toward electrifying everything demands everyone’s attention.
Policies currently being debated in Albany, including the NY HEAT Act, could impact how Western New Yorkers live – and how employers power their operations.
If Albany requires us to heat our houses with electricity alone, such a transition could mean significant costs for consumers. This would include the cost of converting your home from gas to electric, which is estimated at $20,000 - $50,000 per household, not to mention the sizable expense for the electric grid buildout and substantial upgrades required for local electricity transmission and delivery systems.
But reliability might be an even greater concern. The push to replace natural gas service in homes and businesses in favor of electricity will require substantial upgrades to our grid infrastructure, as well as an unprecedented increase in renewable power generation. The push to electrify everything ahead of grid readiness is at best premature, and almost certain to make energy even more weather-sensitive and less reliable.
Simply put, we’re headed down the wrong path.
The Honorable Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224
According to a Siena poll of Western New Yorkers in January 2023:
believe that NYS should use both natural gas and low/no carbon fuels.
oppose phasing out natural gas and believe it should remain in NYS’s energy plan.
think we should heat homes and water with natural gas as we shift to zero carbon emissions.
We believe the best emissions reduction pathway is the one that provides both environmental and economic sustainability, achieving the Climate Act’s targets while providing energy delivery system resiliency, integrity and reliability, and offering options for more affordable carbon reduction measures.
Review the full overview of our filed Long-Term Plan