For Immediate Release: 1/18/18

John B. Rhodes,  Chair
                                              
Contact:
Jon Sorensen | Jon.Sorensen@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
 
 
 
  18006/14-M-0224
January 18, 2018

PSC Approves Third Community Choice Aggregation Plan for Upstate New York, Providing New Options for Clean and Affordable Energy

Communities in Central New York and the Capital District Will Soon Purchase Energy on Behalf of Residents and Small Businesses

 

ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today approved another Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program, allowing five Upstate municipalities to make bulk purchases of electricity and natural gas for their residents and small businesses that can lower energy bills while helping to combat climate change.
 
Created under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy, CCAs can provide communities with lower energy prices, as well as new clean energy options. The newest CCA will serve the Central New York villages of Fayetteville and Minoa, along with the Village of Coxsackie and the towns of Cairo and New Baltimore in the Capital District.
 
“Community Choice Aggregations are growing across New York State, providing greater control over energy bills and energy choices,” said Commission Chair John B. Rhodes. “Residential and small business customers can reduce their energy bills, take advantage of renewable energy choices and enjoy other money-saving services thanks to the leverage enabled by the bulk purchasing available through these community-based associations.”
 
The CCA program approved today is organized by the nationwide energy consultant Good Energy, L.P. While these would be Good Energy’s first CCA programs in New York State, the company has helped create CCAs for more than 60 communities in other states, serving nearly 400,000 households and providing 3.3 billion kWh annually.
 
This is the third CCA Implementation Plan approved by the Commission. Previously, the Commission allowed 20 municipalities in Westchester County to form a CCA and, more recently, a CCA Implementation Plan by the Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA) was approved for the City of Elmira (Chemung County) and the towns of Oneonta (Otsego County), Montour (Schuyler County), Horseheads (Chemung County), Union and Binghamton (Broome County), as well as the Village of Montour Falls (Schuyler County).
  
CCAs are growing in popularity across New York State. MEGA recently submitted a petition to the Commission in order to expand the number of communities that will be served by its initial CCAs in upstate New York. The towns of Spencer, Hancock, and Nelson, and the villages of Horseheads and Naples would be part of MEGA's expanded CCAs. 
 
While additional communities may pass local laws in the future to join or establish a CCA, under the program regulations residents and small businesses can decline the opportunity to join a CCA and remain a customer of a utility or energy service company (ESCO). 
 
Good Energy will help each of the five communities select an ESCO to manage their CCA. The CCA could begin operations during the second quarter of 2018.
 
While CCAs can result in lower energy prices, Good Energy will also help municipalities determine whether renewable or clean energy products can be included as part of the CCA program. Some of these cutting-edge, clean energy options, include:
 
  • Energy Storage: Due to advances in energy storage technologies, there is a growing opportunity for energy consumers to reduce energy costs and improve reliability through investments in such energy storage systems. The CCA Program may consider ways to support customer-sited energy storage systems and will ensure that third-party electricity supply complies with established storage regulations;
 
  • Distributed Generation: The CCA Program may establish a program that allows CCA Program customers with designated on-site generation (e.g., photovoltaics) to sell excess energy to the CCA Program at rates that reflect the market prices of electricity. The CCA program may also establish an offering for larger facilities directly connected to the transmission system in which the municipality can procure long term supply under a set rate; and,
 
  • Green Power: As an option, the municipality may select that the electricity will come from 100 percent renewable resources, such as wind, and will be provided in the form of a fully-bundled electricity product, possibly secured through the purchase of renewable energy certificates.
 
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 14-M-0224 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.
 
About Reforming the Energy Vision:
 
Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) is Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s strategy to lead on climate change and grow New York's economy. REV is building a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers by stimulating investment in clean technologies like solar, wind, and energy efficiency and generating 50 percent of the state's electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030. Already, REV has driven 600 percent growth in the statewide solar market, enabled over 105,000 low-income households to permanently cut their energy bills with energy efficiency, and created thousands of jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and other clean tech sectors. REV is ensuring New York State reduces statewide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and achieves the internationally-recognized target of reducing emissions 80 percent by 2050. To learn more about REV, including the Governor's $5 billion investment in clean energy technology and innovation, please visit www.ny.gov/REV4NY and follow us at @Rev4NY.

 
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