By Hank Russell
Both candidates for governor took on the issue of high electricity costs, with Nassau County Executive and GOP candidate Bruce Blakeman accusing incumbent Democrat governor Kathy Hochul of driving up electricity costs with her energy mandates.
Blakeman cited an analysis by the Empire Center, using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average residential electricity price in New York reached 26.95 cents per kilowatt-hour in October 2025 — nearly 50% higher than the national average and among the ten highest rates in the nation. Electricity prices rose 7.6% over the past year, outpacing the national increase.
Blakeman said the real problem is what makes up the bill. The Independent Power Producers of New York estimate that 65% to 70% of a typical electric bill is made up of taxes, delivery charges, fees, and state policy costs, not the electricity itself.
“New Yorkers are paying more for electricity because Kathy Hochul has imposed an energy agenda that guarantees higher bills,” Blakeman said. “She forces utilities to spend billions upgrading the grid and buying expensive ‘clean energy’ credits — and that cost is passed directly onto taxpayers.”
Under Hochul, Blakeman said, New York ordered utilities to rapidly electrify buildings and transportation while simultaneously overhauling the power grid to handle the added demand. That policy has triggered massive infrastructure spending, driving up delivery charges and government-imposed fees that appear on monthly bills regardless of usage.
“This is why electric bills are so high,” Blakeman said. “Every mandate, every grid upgrade, every clean-energy requirement pushed by Kathy Hochul shows up as another charge on your bill. Hardworking men and women, and small businesses, are paying the price.”
Those costs have been compounded by Hochul’s expanded clean-energy mandates, which require utilities to purchase renewable power and compliance credits at above-market prices, according to Blakeman. Those expenses are built directly into electricity rates, further increasing bills across the state.
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to the Hochul campaign to respond to Blakeman’s claims. Campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said it was actually President Donald Trump who is responsible for the high energy costs in the state.
“When Donald Trump raised New Yorkers’ energy bills, opposed Governor Hochul’s energy independence agenda, and jacked up New Yorkers’ costs by $4,200 a year, Bruce Blakeman stood by him every step of the way,” Radulovacki said. “No matter how hard Bruce Blakeman works to screw over New Yorkers with Donald Trump’s expensive policies, Governor Hochul is going to keep investing in energy reliability and affordability,”
Blakeman said protecting the environment should not mean punishing families. “We can protect our air and water without turning electric bills into a tax bill,” he said. “Hochul chose a rushed, one-size-fits-all approach that ignores affordability and common sense.”
As Governor, Blakeman said he would take a different approach — one focused on affordability, reliability, and accountability. “New Yorkers need lower electric bills, a stable grid, and an energy strategy that works in the real world,” Blakeman said. “I will put ratepayers first and end Albany’s habit of using utility bills as a backdoor tax.”