 |
|
|
For Immediate Release: 04/15/21 John B. Howard, Interim Chair
Contact: James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
21041/20-M-0082
April 15, 2021
|
|
PSC Further Strengthens Safe and Fair Access to Data to Meet New York’s Clean Energy Goals |
|
Comprehensive Data Initiative Supports New York’s Clean Energy Strategy and Nation-Leading Mandate to Achieve Economy-Wide Carbon Neutrality
ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today adopted a new framework regarding data access that will enable consistent access to, and appropriate use of, energy-related data with enhanced customer data protections, further the trust relationship between energy suppliers and consumers, and enable innovation to help New York State meet its nation-leading energy goals.
“The framework we are adopting today is critical to helping achieve the State’s energy policy goals, as well as ensuring customer privacy and maintaining cyber-security,” said Commission Chair John B. Howard. “Access to data will unlock smart deployment of distributed resources required for the creation of an energy system that is responsive to the needs of our clean-energy economy, while also protecting consumers and cyber-assets.”
Collecting, integrating, analyzing and managing energy-related information from the State’s electric and gas utilities and other sources will enable energy companies, consumers and others to more readily and equitably develop valuable technical and business insights by using queries and other functions to filter, aggregate, analyze, and generate useful information. Those insights will, in turn, lead to faster and better policy, investment, and utility operational decisions that will accelerate the realization of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goals.
The Commission has recognized the need to address data related issues through many of its prior proceedings and has continued to take necessary steps to increase access to, and the appropriate use of, customer and system data in order to further New York State’s clean energy goals and continue support of the Department’s mission. Achieving the State’s clean energy goals requires the continued development and maintenance of system data and customer energy-related data. The benefits in doing so are numerous and encompass all levels of the market from the customer up, and also support New York State’s energy efficiency goals.
The framework adopts a risk-based approach and will serve as a single source for statewide data access requirements, no longer perpetuating the need for each utility to take on a repetitive function that can be centralized to the benefit of ratepayers. The framework provides uniform and consistent guidance on the availability of, and what is needed for access to, energy-related data.
Releasing readily available energy-related data by means of useful access mechanisms will support New York in meeting its clean energy goals and facilitating the objectives of the Commission’s energy system reforms. The ability of market participants to deliver smart, economically sound energy solutions and the ability of customers to share their energy usage data, will animate markets, facilitate customer choice, and provide systemic benefits to all New Yorkers. In conjunction with useful data access, it is necessary to ensure that the proper protections of information technology (IT) systems, data systems, and customers’ privacy exist. Understanding the importance of data access and protections, the framework will ensure that the necessary data access requirements are clearly recognized and fully met consistently and effectively across the State.
In addition, the framework will clearly define the process for data access and standardizes the necessary privacy, cybersecurity, and quality requirements for access to energy-related data in a way that ensures uniform treatment across various energy-related data use cases.
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's nation-leading climate plan is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the CLCPA, New York is on a path to reach its mandated goals of economy-wide carbon neutrality and achieving a zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040, faster than any other state. It builds on New York's unprecedented ramp-up of clean energy including a $3.9 billion investment in 67 large-scale renewable projects across the state, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector, a commitment to develop over 1,800 megawatts of offshore wind by 2024, and 1,800 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. New York's Climate Action Council is working on a scoping plan to build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments benefit disadvantaged communities, and advancing progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.
Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 20-M-0082 in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.
|
|
|
###
|