This role would be a turnaround for the commission, which has traditionally expanded the state’s natural gas system. The agency was meant to ensure reliability and that utility companies acted in the public’s interest. This goal includes strictly regulating consumer prices, but also spurring infrastructure expansion.
The NY HEAT Act proposes to repeal the “100-foot rule” and also do away with other rules such as the responsibility of providing for any requests for service. The bill gives the commission the power to discontinue the use of natural gas for any customer or service area as it decommissions sections of this fuel system. The potential legislation also prohibits the expansion of natural gas infrastructure into new service areas starting Dec. 21, 2025.
National Grid told Gothamist that the bill isn’t an energy policy that will solve the “energy trilemma” of balancing supply reliability, environmental sustainability and affordability, which they said was in their customers' best interest.