The Southern Tier knows what it means to build. My home region spent much of the 20th Century building technologies that changed global industries, powered the American workforce and laid the foundation for innovation that continues to shape our future.

But no matter how advanced the product or how skilled the talent, none of it works without power. Reliable energy has long been one of Upstate’s greatest advantages — but that edge is no longer guaranteed.

In early June, the state’s electric grid operator issued a report detailing that the reliability margin — the gap between demand and total supply of electricity — is thinning as new generation capacity isn’t keeping pace with retiring power sources. Then, just days into the summer as extreme heat gripped the Northeast, New Yorkers were urged to conserve electricity to stem overloading of the grid. It’s not just a New York problem, either. Across the country, record-breaking temperatures have pushed infrastructure to the edge, prompting warnings of rolling blackouts and spotlighting the fragility of our energy systems.

The governor’s recent directive to the New York Power Authority to explore zero-emission advanced nuclear as part of our state’s energy future is a bold step toward mitigating these issues. Nuclear power would take a bit bite out of our needs in the long term. But under a true all-of-the-above approach the governor has envisioned we also can’t pull back on scaling other solutions in the short and medium terms — be they renewables like wind and solar, or proven forms of reliable energy like natural gas. A multi-decade sustainable energy strategy requires flexibility and commitment to meeting needs as they arise, not simply waiting for generation to catch up.

The stakes are high. In today’s economy, the most promising industries — from semiconductor manufacturing, testing and packaging to AI and data processing to pharmaceuticals and biotech — require enormous energy inputs. Companies looking to set up shop in New York are all about the facts: What’s the grid capacity? Is the region prepared for future load? Will we have policymaking, regulatory and utility partners who can help us scale?

We need to plan energy infrastructure in lockstep with economic development. Electric generation projects of course are economic development tools in their own right, spurring both shorter-term construction and long-term facility management jobs. But we must also nurture transmission and distribution infrastructure projects that will move energy — whether it’s electrons or gas molecules — from its source to where it’s needed the most.

That means working across regions, agencies and community partners to ensure grid upgrades are aligned with the visionary investment programs driven by the governor and state Legislature. We must remove local and state regulatory barriers to site readiness and ensure that companies coming here can move quickly, scale sustainably, and operate without fear of brownouts or bottlenecks.

There are models we can replicate. The Marcy Nanocenter in the Mohawk Valley comes with its own transmission and substation capabilities. If those of us elsewhere want to compete in the same league, we have to assure companies of our ability to work with them to make such upgrades as efficiently and expeditiously as possible.

The rest of our story sells itself. Broome County, for example, has some of the most competitive assets in the state. Binghamton University is New York’s state-designated Center of Excellence in packaging to support the semiconductor industry and is fueling battery and clean energy innovation. We have one of the most affordable costs of living in the country and are one of the leading regions in the state for graduates in science, technology, engineering and math. And our local leaders — from the county executive and legislature on down to the business community, including our local utility NYSEG — are true collaborators in identifying and doing what it takes to shape our region for a stronger future.

We’re ready to support new economic investment. New developments, like the proposed Broome Technology Park, would be designed specifically with the kinds of high-growth, energy-intensive businesses in mind that can

anchor the next phase of regional economic growth. To do this, we need to access every available power source available today, tomorrow and for the future.

We must get things right with our buildout of the energy system. I’m confident we can if we embrace an all-of-the-above mindset that delivers reliable energy equitably across the state.

Stacey Duncan is executive director of The Agency, president and CEO of the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, and director-at-large for the New York State Economic Development Council