Edited by: TJVNews.com

New Yorkers could soon find themselves paying more for electricity — not because of a local energy shortage, but due to geopolitical fallout from former President Donald Trump’s escalating tariff feud with Canada. As was reported by The New York Post, Canadian officials have struck back at Trump’s trade threats with retaliatory energy tariffs that could send ripples across New York’s already complex power market.

Last week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made good on earlier threats, slapping a steep 25% surcharge on energy exports to three American states — New York, Michigan, and Minnesota — in direct response to Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canadian goods. Ford has also warned that a full stoppage of electricity exports to these states remains on the table.

Ford’s move was triggered by Trump’s threat to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports and an additional 10% levy on energy products — measures he has since postponed but not ruled out. As The New York Post reported, the Canadian response has already stoked political alarm in New York, even as state energy officials attempt to calm public concerns.

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which oversees the state’s power grid, played down the immediate risks. The agency emphasized that Ontario’s exports make up a relatively small portion of New York’s overall energy supply — just under 3%.

“The NYISO is analyzing the impacts of the order by the Ontario Premier and working closely with the Independent Electricity Operator of Ontario to ensure a reliable grid and stable flows of electricity across interregional transmission lines,” the agency said in a statement obtained by The New York Post. “The NYISO expects to have adequate reserves to meet reliability criteria and forecasted demand for New York.”

A recent NYISO report shows that New York imported 3,976 gigawatt-hours of electricity from Ontario in 2023 — a modest slice of the total 149,518 gigawatt-hours consumed statewide. Still, energy experts warn that even a minor shift in import flows can disrupt price stability and utility billing, especially given the intricate dynamics of grid management and wholesale market pricing mechanisms.

Despite NYISO’s measured tone, Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Chuck Schumer issued a strongly worded letter Monday — obtained by The New York Post — urging New York’s Department of Public Service and the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority to conduct an urgent analysis of the potential impacts.

“We will not allow President Trump and Congressional Republicans to play politics with our energy security while hardworking New Yorkers foot the bill,” Hochul and Schumer declared.

Their warning, however, lacked specific data — and critics have noted that their statements appear more politically charged than economically substantiated. “These tariffs will drive up utility bills, disrupt energy markets, and create uncertainty for businesses and families alike,” the letter said. “They are not only economically harmful but also dangerously short-sighted.”

Ironically, The New York Post report recalled that Hochul had downplayed the severity of Ford’s threats just days earlier. “I feel positive that anything within his power that he can control, that we do not have a target on our backs,” she had told reporters confidently.

Meanwhile, the state’s major utility companies — Con Edison, National Grid, and NYSEG — have chosen not to comment directly on the possible fallout, instead directing all inquiries to the NYISO. Similarly, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Service forwarded Hochul and Schumer’s letter to the outlet when asked about the department’s stance or any regulatory preparations underway.