The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) terminated its offshore wind transmission process on Thursday, citing the Trump administration’s freeze on permitting for the energy technology.
President Donald Trump’s executive order on blocking new offshore wind permits has derailed plans to build out offshore wind transmission lines in New York, according to the PSC and Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office. PSC declared that axing its Public Policy Transmission Need (PPTN) process is a necessary move to spare ratepayers, though it does not represent the end of offshore wind initiatives in the state.
“One of our most important tasks is to protect consumers,” PSC Chair Rory Christian said in a prepared statement. “Given the uncertainty coming out of Washington regarding offshore wind, we must act to protect consumers by withdrawing our PPTN determination; but this is far from the end of the story. We will continue to press forward regarding infrastructure needs for offshore wind in the future once the federal government resumes leasing and permitting for wind energy generation projects.”
New York has championed green energy initiatives, particularly offshore wind, as the state already hosts the South Fork Wind Farm and plans to expand the energy technology significantly by 2035. PSC argued that the state’s offshore wind goals are “impossible in the near term” due to Trump’s federal permitting policy.
PSC referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to its full transmission line withdrawal order, which references the president’s offshore wind permitting freeze.
The state’s utility bills are currently higher than the national average, including gasoline and electricity. Experts have previously told the DCNF that the state’s reliance on intermittent green energy has weakened the reliability of its power grid. PSC and Hochul’s office argued that it would be unfair to charge ratepayers for transmission lines when the future of the offshore wind industry is cloudy, as noted in public statements and comments to the DCNF.
PSC made plans in 2023 to build out a massive transmission line project to deliver energy generated from offshore wind to millions of homes in New York City, according to the PSC website.
The state is still moving forward with some offshore wind initiatives, including the massive Empire Wind project. Hochul kept the project alive in May, reportedly in exchange for collaborating with the Trump administration on advancing pipeline projects in the state. Hochul’s office previously told the DCNF no formal agreement was made, however.
“Governor Hochul has staunchly defended and remains committed to renewable energy projects, including offshore wind, but has made it clear that New York ratepayers need to be protected in this time of federal uncertainty,” Ken Lovett, Senior Communications Advisor on Energy and Environment for the governor, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Given the political hostilities toward offshore wind projects from the federal government, and the resulting economic uncertainties, we agree with the PSC that it would not be fair to saddle ratepayers with costs for a project that may not bear any fruit. We stand ready to rapidly move forward when the conditions become more favorable.”
From 2023 to 2025, offshore wind projects sparked protests due to concerns over high-voltage cables running through neighborhoods, whale deaths and dolphins washing ashore along the East Coast. Additionally, wind turbines off the coast of New England have malfunctioned and shed debris into the ocean, prompting environmentalists to raise alarms about potential risks to marine life.
Local fishermen have also pushed back against offshore wind projects, arguing that the presence of turbines makes it impossible for their industry to survive, as the wind farms invade fishing zones and shed dangerous debris.
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