No matter where you stand on New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, one thing is clear: the $3.2 billion Propel NY transmission project, originally pitched to deliver offshore wind power onto and through Long Island, is no longer necessary.

When the Public Service Commission approved the project in its order on March 18, 2021, it cited a public policy requirement tied directly to the CLCPA’s offshore wind goals. At that time, the state’s plan to develop nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035 seemed feasible. The PSC maintained the “beneficiaries pay” principle, meaning downstate ratepayers would cover 75% of the costs, since they were the primary beneficiaries, while the remaining 25% would be split across the state.

Without missing a beat, just a month later, petitioners, including the Long Island Power Authority challenged the cost allocation, arguing that because offshore wind was a state mandate, the entire state should bear the cost. Despite two commissioners dissenting,........

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