Table of Contents

What to Expect for Your Energy Costs This Winter

Hurricane Isaias, the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season, made landfall along the Gulf Coast in early October and briefly shut down roughly 72% of offshore oil and natural gas production. The disruption was short-lived, as most production recovered within a few days, but it is a timely reminder of how quickly domestic energy supply can be rattled by weather events, just as the heating season begins.

The bigger picture comes from the EIA’s Winter Fuels Outlook, released earlier this month. For upstate New York, where natural gas is the most common heating source, the news is encouraging: heating bills are expected to run about 9% lower than last winter, thanks to healthy storage levels and lower gas prices. Electricity costs are a different story. The EIA projects electric bills to rise roughly 4% this winter, with wholesale power prices running 11% higher in 2026 than in 2025, driven by extreme weather events and rising demand nationwide.

For MEGA participants, this winter looks more manageable than last on the gas side, but the electricity outlook deserves attention, particularly for facilities with significant electric usage. A prolonged cold snap or further domestic supply disruptions could narrow the projected savings quickly. Reviewing supply agreements now, while conditions are relatively stable, is the best protection against an uncertain season ahead.



For more details, or to discuss your individual energy strategy, please reach out to us at info@megaenergy.org.

Recording Available - Fall Energy Market Update: Preparing for Winter

MEGA and experts from Constellation Energy took a look at New York's electricity markets heading into the 2026-2027 winter season. This educational session covered current market trends and the factors expected to drive electricity pricing in New York this winter and beyond. It provides a clearer picture of how market conditions may affect both short-term and long-term budget planning, along with a practical perspective on managing volatility and risk. View the full recording to learn from industry-leading experts and prepare your team for the energy season ahead.

Contact us at info@megaenergy.org or visit https://megaenergy.org/join-mega/ to learn how MEGA can help your organization before the winter volatility hits.

MEGA Energy Management Training Institute

Today, we’re proud to announce the return of the MEGA Energy Management Training Institute. Energy markets are more complex and more consequential for public budgets than ever before. The people making purchasing decisions for our local governments and school districts deserve the tools to make those decisions with confidence. The Institute is designed for municipal officials, school business officials, facilities managers, and anyone responsible for energy budgets and procurement.

Through a series of educational sessions, participants will build a practical understanding of:

• How New York’s electricity and natural gas markets work
• What drives price movement and volatility
• How to read market signals
• How procurement strategies like aggregation and fixed-price contracts help manage risk

Participants who complete the program will earn a MEGA Energy Management Certificate, recognizing the knowledge they bring to their organization’s energy decisions.

MEGA has always worked to secure competitive and stable pricing for our members. The Institute helps our members understand the market behind that pricing, so every dollar spent on energy is spent wisely. More details on session dates and registration will be shared with members soon.

Local Leaders Advised to Prepare for More Data Center Applications

By Joe Mahoney, special to the New York State Association of Counties

As data center proposals spread across the country, local officials are being urged to get ahead of them. At NYSAC’s Fall Conference in Syracuse, Loudoun County, VA, Supervisor Mike Turner, whose county is known as the “Data Center Capital of the World,” shared the best practices for evaluating projects. His advice centers on transparency, community host agreements, and close scrutiny of noise, power, water, and setbacks. With Governor Hochul’s one-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers in place, now is the time for New York communities to prepare.

NYSAC Provides Annual Comments on NY's Energy Strategic Planning

By the New York State Association of Counties

The New York State Association of Counties provides annual public comments to the New York State Power Authority (NYPA) as they support the state’s clean energy transition.

“This year, two priorities anchor our comments: affordability and reliability. New York’s local governments experience the energy transition from two directions at once. They are the entities responsible for keeping essential services running on an increasingly strained grid, and they are stewards of local budgets already constrained by the property tax cap while absorbing rising pension contributions, escalating insurance premiums, and other fixed costs largely outside their control. When energy costs rise, or when a renewable project is removed from the local tax base, those pressures compound—and they fall on the same residents and taxpayers our members serve. A durable clean energy transition must keep both affordability and reliability at its center, and it must treat local governments as full partners rather than as parties to be consulted after key decisions are made.”

NYSAC’s comments touched on affordability, extreme weather, economic equity, and reliability. They called for a diversified, reliable, and affordable energy portfolio; the acceleration of distributed energy resources; the deployment of energy storage; investments in grid infrastructure; fair compensation for host communities; protection of farmland; and preservation of home rule authority over energy projects.

At the end of September, the MEGA Board of Directors convened at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown to discuss MEGA's organizational updates, priorities, and initiatives. We thank our board members for taking the time to attend and for their continued guidance and support of MEGA's mission. A special thanks to Joe Mormando of NRG and Aleks Urosevic, David Wiers, and David Weakley of Priority Power for attending the meeting as well.

Following the board meeting, MEGA attended the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) Fall Seminar at the same venue in Syracuse, NY. We were pleased to be joined at the MEGA booth by Bill Bartlett and Dan Murphy of Constellation. The conference provided a great opportunity to connect with county officials and discuss how MEGA can support them in controlling their energy costs as the cold weather approaches.

Follow us on LinkedIn to keep updated on where we have been and where we are going.

Oneida County

From the Revolutionary War siege at Fort Stanwix to the first dig of the Erie Canal, Oneida County has played a part in some of New York's most important history. This month, we're highlighting the Mohawk Valley county's historic landmarks, outdoor destinations along Oneida Lake, and the arts and community life of Utica.

As a nonprofit local development corporation, our mission has always been to serve public entities in New York State. For 27 years, MEGA has helped more than 250 members achieve meaningful savings on the supply portion of their energy costs while improving budget stability. Predictable energy costs can support more effective financial planning and help ensure that limited resources remain focused on core municipal priorities.

Our Partners:

MEGA is featured on NYSAC's County Conversations podcast! Click to listen.

Want to learn more about MEGA? Visit our website or check us out on our socials!