From July 2025 through June 2026, low-carbon sources supplied about 44% of New York’s electricity consumption, slightly more than fossil fuels at 41%. Nuclear was the largest clean source at 17%, followed by hydropower at 15%, solar at 7% and wind at 4%. Solar generation was split almost equally between utility-scale installations and systems behind the meter, such as rooftop panels. Gas dominated fossil electricity at almost 40% of consumption, while oil supplied about 2%. Net imports accounted for another 14%; their low-carbon or fossil composition is not specified in the data. New York therefore still relies substantially on fossil electricity, with its associated climate and air-pollution impacts.

Is Electricity Growing in New York?

Electricity consumption is growing, but only slightly. The latest 2026 figure of 8,270 kWh per person narrowly exceeds the previous record of 8,248 kWh in 2025—an increase of roughly 20 kWh per person, or about 0.3%. Clean electricity generation, however, has not kept pace: at 3,643 kWh per person, it is 42 kWh below the 2025 record of 3,685 kWh, a decline of about 1%. The small consumption increase is welcome, but the retreat in low-carbon generation is concerning. Stronger clean electricity growth is needed to support electrification and expanding demand from AI and other digital infrastructure.

Suggestions

New York can increase clean electricity generation by expanding its existing nuclear capacity, building additional nuclear generation and accelerating solar and wind deployment. Nearby regions offer useful examples: nuclear supplies about 52% of electricity generation in the US state of New Hampshire, 36% in Connecticut and 31% in Pennsylvania, compared with New York’s much smaller share. France, where nuclear supplies about two-thirds of electricity, also demonstrates the scale this clean source can achieve. For solar and wind, the US state of Maine is a particularly relevant regional example, generating about 18% of its electricity from each source. New York can learn from these regions while expanding rooftop and utility-scale solar, developing wind resources and strengthening the grid to deliver more low-carbon electricity.

History

Across 2024–2026, New York’s low-carbon electricity history shows uneven progress rather than sustained expansion. In 2024 and 2025, wind generation increased by 1.2 and 0.9 TWh, respectively, while hydropower fell by 0.5 and 2.2 TWh. Nuclear generation increased by 1.3 TWh in 2025, following a 0.5 TWh reduction in 2024. In 2026, output fell across nuclear, hydropower and wind by 0.8, 0.4 and 0.3 TWh, respectively. Biofuel generation was unchanged in 2024 and decreased by 0.1 TWh in each of the next two years. These setbacks in clean electricity output are disappointing: New York needs to protect and expand its substantial nuclear contribution while achieving sustained growth across its low-carbon electricity supply.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.