About

The need for the Public Power Observatory in New York was made apparent by the fact that the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) mandates public provision of renewable power when and if private developers fall short of the goals enshrined in previous climate laws. But how do we know if developers are falling short? And how can we be sure that projects contracted by the state are moving forward? How do we engage members of the public in a project of energy democratization that benefits them in tangible ways, and how do we head off (well-funded) NIMBY movements?

These questions demonstrate why we feel there is a strong need for a Public Power Observatory which enlists researchers and activists in the project of mapping and tracking the power sector in the state. This includes itemizing the roles and responsibilities of government agencies charged with supervising the grid.

In addition, the PPO NY is dedicated to engaging the public through publications and public-facing activities. In 2024, we published a white paper on the crisis in the offshore wind sector and mapped public lands in the state where renewables might be sited, as well as locations where public resistance to renewables is building. We worked on an energy democracy syllabus and convened a series of online teach-ins to spread word about the syllabus. PPO also produced a series of short documentary films about the dirty power plants termed “peakers,” noxious infrastructure overwhelmingly located in working class communities of color. PPO NY is playing a catalytic role in organizing a series of over 10 public power town halls on campuses in the sprawling City University of New York system, meetings that aim to turn public university campuses into laboratories for energy democracy.