Senator Mattera: Natural Gas Is Answer to State Energy Crisis

In an exclusive interview with the South Shore Press, the Senate Energy Committee’s ranking Republican said New York must expand pipeline capacity, modernize power plants and reconsider its opposition to domestic natural gas.

Natural gas must remain at the center of New York’s energy system if the state hopes to lower utility bills, maintain reliability and meet growing electricity demand, state Sen. Mario Mattera said in an exclusive interview.

Mattera, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, said Gov. Kathy Hochul’s renewable-energy policies have left New York dependent on imported power while failing to provide sufficient dependable generation.

“Natural gas is a necessity,” Mattera said. “We have to have it. We cannot live without it.”

Mattera called for expanding pipeline capacity, developing carbon-capture technology and replacing older generating stations with efficient combined-cycle natural gas plants such as the proposed Caithness II facility in Yaphank.

Mattera said modern combined-cycle plants such as the proposed Caithness II facility could produce reliable electricity with far lower emissions than older generating stations. “Retooling our existing power plants is very important,” he said. “You can’t get any better than domestic natural gas, and we can make it even cleaner with carbon capture.”

Mattera pointed to Pennsylvania, where natural gas development has contributed to lower utility costs, while New York purchases gas produced through hydraulic fracturing across the border.

“We’re purchasing our natural gas from Pennsylvania,” he said. “Look at Pennsylvania’s utility bills compared to ours. We need to really look at fracking.”

He also supported completing the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, which he said could serve 2.3 million homes and businesses in Long Island and the Rockaways while removing as many as 60% of compressed- and liquefied-natural-gas tanker trucks from area roads.

Mattera said limited pipeline capacity forced the Northport, Barrett and Port Jefferson plants to burn oil during periods of high demand last winter.

“They were burning full-blown oil because we had a natural-gas capacity shortage,” he said. “No one talks about that.”

Although Hochul has recently embraced additional nuclear generation, Mattera said new reactors could take 10 to 15 years to complete.

“In the meantime, what are we doing?” he asked.

Mattera also criticized the state’s reliance on wind, solar and battery storage, citing the East Hampton battery facility fire and subsequent groundwater contamination concerns.

“We need to be self-sufficient and self-reliant,” Mattera said, noting that New York imports substantial electricity generated by fossil-fuel plants in neighboring states. “We’re missing the boat.”