Albany, NY—The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission)  will conduct a technical conference regarding its Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceeding from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014, at the Eisner & Lubin Auditorium, New York University Kimmel Center, 60 Washington Square South, 4th floor, New York, New York. The conference will be webcast live on the Commission's website.

Given the importance of the policy issues to be considered by the Commission in the REV proceeding, the purpose of the technical conference is to further inform the Commissioners on certain critical issues that were addressed in the parties' written comments on policy issues and in comments on the Department of Public Service Staff’s straw proposal. Panelists representing various sectors of the industry will address the Commission on three topics.

The first panel will explore what steps are needed to create an attractive market for distributed energy resources (DER) investment in New York State.  In the REV construct, clean energy providers will serve customers’ increasing reliability and resiliency needs in a more efficient and economic manner, including optimally utilizing the increased magnitude of DER, such as renewable energy and other types of energy producing activities.

Customers are procuring DER resources in increasing numbers to meet their reliability, resiliency and economic needs.

To facilitate increased penetration of DER, a better understanding is needed regarding DER investor expectations, and current barriers that need to be addressed. Panelists will discuss what market structures (e.g., ownership, control of assets, resource pricing information, revenue certainty, etc.) will ensure sufficient investment to create a robust DER market with investments that provide economic efficiencies, and give customers more control over their bills, while advancing system reliability.

A second panel will address what kind of system information is needed to foster a market.  Speakers will discuss what information utilities should provide to support the market, information needed to assist vendors to enter the market, and information that vendors should provide to the utilities.   The third panel concerns customer information, and speakers will discuss such issues as customer information needed by DER providers, utility safeguards on customer information, and the interest in protecting customer privacy.

The conference can be viewed in a simultaneous webcast by accessing: http://tinyurl.com/nl29lmo. Individuals in New York City wishing to observe the Commission’s technical conference webcast may do so in the Board Room on the 4th Floor of the Commission's offices in New York City. Pursuant to procedures established by the building management, anyone planning to view the meeting in the New York City Board Room must notify Jan Goorsky at (212) 417-2378, 48 hours in advance of the meeting, and must be prepared to show valid photo identification upon arrival at 90 Church Street. The webcast will be for viewing and listening purposes only.