ORANGEBURG- Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17) is demanding that Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York Power Authority disclose the value of discounted electricity being provided to data centers in Orangeburg.
Lawler’s action follows reporting that three of the four data centers in the Orangeburg section of Orangetown receive discounted hydropower through NYPA’s ReCharge NY program. NYPA has declined to disclose the rates individual facilities pay or the value of their discounts, saying the information is proprietary and protected by contracts.
Lawler is calling on the state to at least disclose the total annual cost of the discounts and the average subsidy provided to participating businesses.
ReCharge NY is a statewide economic-development program that provides qualifying businesses and nonprofits access to lower-cost hydropower through long-term contracts. NYPA says the program is intended to support business growth and job retention across the state.
The issue comes as data centers face increased scrutiny in New York because of their electricity demands. Hochul announced a one-year moratorium on certain new large-scale data center projects in July and said the state would pursue additional protections for ratepayers.
Lawler said greater transparency is needed as New York weighs the economic benefits and infrastructure demands associated with data center development.
“Transparency has to apply to government too,” Lawler said. “If New York is going to use public power to attract data centers, it should be able to tell the public what the deal is and what taxpayers get in return.”
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