The New York Independent System Operator continues to raise concerns about the reliability of the state’s electric grid in coming years – particularly in New York City – as questions continue to arise about the planning behind New York’s transition to an emissions-free power grid.

It’s one reason why, in our opinion, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to veto a Grid Modernization Commission created by the state Legislature makes little sense. The governor says the decision is about cost, with the grid commission vetoed along with several other commissions that the governor said would cost $24 million as a group.

That explanation holds up about as well as a wet paper towel. A couple of weeks after Hochul vetoed the commission, she proposed a State of the State plan to give state residents an inflation refund payment costing $3 billion. We’re sure people would love a $500 check. We’re also pretty sure they want the lights to come on, too – and that happening is in doubt in some parts of the state as soon as 2026 if enough renewable power doesn’t come online by then.

State lawmakers in both houses of the legislature approved the Grid Modernization Commission unanimously. That’s a clear signal that they take the state Independent System Operator’s warnings about reliability – starting as soon as 2026 in New York City – seriously. State lawmakers also can’t exert much influence on the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority because it operates outside of the state budget.

“But if we are truly intent on decarbonizing our state while facing the many challenges ahead, we must all work together in a more open and transparent process. I hope the governor and NYSERDA will join us in the work ahead,” Assemblywoman Didi Barrett, D-Hudson and chairwoman of the Assembly’s Energy Committee, said in response to Hochul’s veto last week.

We agree. Legislators hear the mounting concerns about the assumptions, costs and hard-to-meet deadlines that comprise the state’s energy policy. They’re attempting to be a voice of reason, and their unanimity should speak loudly. It’s too bad Hochul isn’t listening.