Earlier this month, Amazon.com Services Inc. announced the building of a new corporate headquarters in Queens, which will encompass approximately 4,000,000 square feet and the addition of 25,000 new jobs to the region.
While the development of the new Amazon headquarters provides a great opportunity for New York jobs and the state economy, it also poses a warning about our long-term power needs in the region. An influx of new jobs and economic development will require more power to accommodate the corresponding higher energy demand.
This creates all the more motivation for our elected officials to develop a comprehensive, long-term game plan that addresses power generation and distribution to meet the growing demand throughout the region for the long term. These plans should prioritize in-state power production so that jobs and opportunities can remain here just as they will at the new Amazon headquarters.