8/17/16 N.Y. St. Reg. PSC-04-16-00008-A
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following action:
Action taken:
On 8/1/16, the PSC adopted a Clean Energy Standard.
Statutory authority:
Public Service Law, sections 5(1)(b), 65(1), (2), (3), 66(1), (2), (3), (5), (8) and (12)
Subject:
Clean Energy Standard.
Purpose:
To adopt a Clean Energy Standard.
Substance of final rule:
The Commission, on August 1, 2016, adopted a Clean Energy Standard. The Commission determines that a series of deliberate and mandatory actions to build upon and enhance opportunities for consumer choice are necessary to achieve State environmental, public health, climate policy and economic goals; to enhance and animate voluntary retail markets for energy efficiency, clean energy and renewable resources; to preserve existing zero-emissions nuclear generation resources as a bridge to the clean energy future; to ensure a modern and resilient energy system; and to accomplish its objectives in a fair and cost effective manner. In accordance with the statutory obligation that agency actions must be reasonably consistent with the most recent State Energy Plan (SEP), the Commission adopts the SEP goal that 50% of New York’s electricity is to be generated by renewable sources by 2030 as part of a strategy to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030. In furtherance of that goal, and mindful of the Commission’s role as a State regulator sharing jurisdiction with the Federal government, in this order the Commission also adopts a Clean Energy Standard (CES) consistent with the SEP goal, including: (a) program and market structures to encourage consumer-initiated clean energy purchases or investments; (b) obligations on load serving entities to financially support new renewable generation resources to serve their retail customers; (c) a requirement for regular renewable energy credit (REC) procurement solicitations; (d) obligations on distribution utilities on behalf of all retail customers to continue to financially support the maintenance of certain existing at-risk small hydro, wind or biomass generation attributes; (e) a program to maximize the value potential of new offshore wind resources; and (f) obligations on load serving entities to financially support the preservation of existing at-risk nuclear zero-emissions attributes to serve their retail customers, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the order.
Final rule as compared with last published rule:
No changes.
Text of rule may be obtained from:
John Pitucci, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, 12223, (518) 486-2655, email:
john.pitucci@dps.ny.gov An IRS employer ID no. or social security no. is required from firms or persons to be billed 25 cents per page. Please use tracking number found on last line of notice in requests.
Assessment of Public Comment
An assessment of public comment is not submitted with this notice because the rule is within the definition contained in section 102(2)(a)(ii) of the State Administrative Procedure Act.
