New York Candidates for Governor Clash Over Energy Policy

New York gubernatorial candidates clash over energy policy, with Hochul pushing for renewable energy and Blakeman criticizing clean energy programs.

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Incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman clashed over high energy costs in the state’s only gubernatorial debate, offering sharply different visions for how to keep electricity affordable as demand rises. Average residential electricity bills in New York rose 10 percent from 2024 to 2025, outpacing the national average. The state has the eighth-highest residential electricity prices in the country, which has made affordability a central issue in the governor’s race.

With less than three weeks until Election Day, recent polling data suggests Hochul leads Blakeman by around 12 percentage points. Blakeman has served as Nassau County executive since 2022. During the debate, Hochul touted her “all of the above” energy strategy, which includes developing renewable energy and expanding nuclear power.

Blakeman blamed the state’s high utility bills in part on clean energy programs, calling them a “slush fund” for “science projects,” such as offshore wind farms and solar panels that he claimed were “ruining agriculture.” State data shows that decarbonization programs account for only a portion of residential electricity costs, with a 2025 Public Service Commission report finding that measures mandated by New York’s Climate Act made up between 5 and 9.5 percent of a typical monthly residential electric bill in 2024.

The candidates also shared different visions of how to generate more power. Wind and solar projects, paired with battery storage, can typically be built at cheaper costs than fossil fuel infrastructure, potentially helping to meet rising electricity demand while supporting the state’s climate goals. Hochul emphasized her push to build more nuclear power in the state, though she did not say whether she would reopen Indian Point, a nuclear plant north of New York City that closed in 2021.