Trump's pause on wind power complicates plans for NYC's largest power plant

Plans to turn New York City’s largest fossil fuel plant into a green energy hub are facing complications amid President Donald Trump’s pause on wind power.

Officials announced the ambitious project in 2022 to convert Ravenswood Generating Station into what would be the largest clean energy facility of its kind in the country. Instead of burning natural gas and fuel oil, the plant on the Queens waterfront would provide power through wind, geothermal energy and batteries stored on-site. The first phase of the project calls for laying 18.5 miles of underwater transmission cables from the plant to the site of offshore wind turbines. But those turbines haven’t been built – and Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office pausing all permits and federal leases for off-shore wind projects.

Last month, the state’s Public Service Commission demanded more information from Ravenswood about where and how it would get power – sparking pushback from the project’s operator.

”In New York at this point, there's a lot of offshore wind potential off the coast of New York and we are doing everything in our power to advance this important project so that when federal permitting resumes, we have matured a solution to bring that power to shore,” said Clint Plummer, CEO for Rise Light and Power.

Plummer argues the state should permit the project so that his company can start laying transmission cables as soon as the offshore wind project gets the green light – whenever that might be. He noted the commission permitted transmission lines for a different project running from Quebec to Queens without having a specified power source.

“Election uncertainty is just part of this business,” Plummer said. “We always knew, even before the outcome of November's election, that this project was going to take many years to develop and build, and that hasn't changed.”

An administrative law judge will rule on the state’s demand for more information on energy sources for Ravenswood. James Denn, a spokesperson for the state, referred to public filings describing the demands as routine and uncontroversial.

Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, which isn’t involved in Renewable Ravenswood, said the state should be doing everything it can to facilitate the project.

“There's no question about it. This could be a model for other places in the country and certainly in the world,” said Tighe. “We shouldn't let the Trump administration's efforts to derail a viable American source of energy from continuing to advance. These should not be political decisions.”

The dispute highlights another obstacle in the way of New York reaching its climate goals of 100% clean energy by 2050.

The offshore wind project is projected to provide enough energy to power more than 2 million homes. That’s the equivalent of 2.6 gigawatts. Gov. Kathy Hochul has pledged to build 9 gigawatts of offshore wind total to help the state reach its climate goals – but those projects are now mostly in limbo.

Ravenswood, which stands out on the waterfront with its candy cane stacks, currently provides about 20% of the city’s power by burning gas and oil delivered on barges on the East River. The facility includes several peaker plants, which are turned on only during peak demand and contribute significantly to carbon emissions.

The neighborhoods around the plant, which include three NYCHA campuses, have been referred to as “asthma alley.” According to city records, children 5 to 17 living in the Ravenswood and Queensbridge Houses are hospitalized for asthma at double the rate of nearby Astoria.

“ It is a slam dunk: One of the largest pollutants in our community, right next door to the largest public housing development in our community has decided to create a pathway to retire those peakers,” said Bishop Mitchell Taylor, a lifelong resident and senior pastor of the local church, Center of Hope International. “At every turn, what I've seen since the genesis of this project, is that there has been less and less cooperation from the powers that be.”