Bronx Times Opinion | Why the Bronx needs a stronger, more reliable power grid

Every business, from local shops to big box retailers, depends on reliable energy to keep the lights on, doors open, and employees on the job. But our aging energy infrastructure needs attention to ensure businesses can thrive and our daily needs are met now and in the future.

Over 70% of long-distance transmission lines in service today were built before 1980 and with electricity demand expected to increase by 50 to 90% over the next 20 years, the strain on our aging and current system will only get worse.

If we do not modernize, we risk more frequent power disruptions, higher energy costs and added challenges that make it harder for businesses to grow, create jobs, and stay competitive.

Recently, the state’s grid operator warned that New York was entering the summer with razor thin reliability margins. Grid reliability margins have fallen 80 percent in the last four years, reaching some of the lowest levels in recent history.

Business owners know a thing or two about operating with thin margins and the uncertainty, challenges and difficult decisions that often come along with them.

Small businesses, restaurants, retail shops, and manufacturers all depend on affordable, reliable electricity to serve customers and stay in business. A single unexpected outage can mean spoiled food for a restaurant, lost revenue for a retail shop, or stalled production for a local manufacturer — setbacks that have real life implications.

That’s why projects like Propel NY Energy are so important. The initiative will build 90 miles of new underground transmission lines that reinforce the grid, ease congestion, and improve reliability, all while supporting continued economic growth.

For Bronx businesses, this kind of forward planning is essential. It gives owners the certainty they need to invest confidently, expand operations and ultimately thrive.

But it is not only about helping businesses. This project will create good-paying jobs right here in our backyards. Construction alone means supporting jobs and services for our area unions, contractors, suppliers, and coffee shops, restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations, injecting money directly into our economy.

We also know that hospitals and healthcare facilities are among the largest employers in the Bronx, and most importantly, they depend on uninterrupted power to provide life-saving care. From operating life-support equipment to storing vital medications and performing procedures reliable energy isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Propel NY will help ensure that hospitals have the reliable energy they need to continue providing critical care.

While this project is essential to modernizing our grid, the Propel NY Energy team also knows that engaging with the community is vital to ensuring it is built with the Bronx’s needs in mind.

The project recently launched a survey for business owners along the route to provide feedback as detailed construction plans are developed. This survey is an opportunity for businesses to get directly involved in the process and share information about their operations, including hours they are open, parking, business seasonality and more.

Infrastructure projects like this are not just beneficial — they are necessary. Without investment in our electric grid, we risk reliability, increased costs, and lost opportunities for economic growth. The time for action is now, we must invest in a thriving future in the Bronx for generations to come.

Lisa Sorin is the President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce