Plugged In To Energy & Telecom
Coverage of Energy and Telecommunication News & Policy Across New York State
January 30, 2023
What’s Inside
- Siena Research Institute Polls Cap and Invest
- Central Hudson Facing Class Action Lawsuit
- Governor Announces Zinc8 Energy Solutions to Locate in New York
- NYISO Admonishes NextEra Energy Transmission for Lobbying
- NYSERDA Appoints New Chief Program Officer
- Legislative Update
- State Register
- In the News
Siena Research Institute Polls Cap and Invest
Siena Research Institute released a poll this week capturing a moment in time for the Governor’s favorability and job approval. Among the topics polled were high level proposals included in the Governor’s State of the State address, including her Cap and Invest proposal. Her proposals are largely supported, including Cap and Invest with an overall 61-29% support.
Aside from her proposal to allow SUNY to increase tuition – which has significant bipartisan opposition – Cap and Invest is the least popular of the proposals polled which includes, tying the minimum wage to inflation, 12 weeks of paid family leave for state employees, giving judges more discretion to set bail, not raising the income tax, and amending the State Constitution to include an Equal Rights Amendment.
The political affiliation split tracks as anticipated with Democrats and self-identified liberals registering support in the mid 80% range. The support lessens with independents and self-identified moderates. Finally, Republicans and self-identified conservatives are widely opposed to the proposal. A 10% overall total of those polled answering “don’t know/no opinion” and is among the highest of all proposals polled, demonstrating opportunity to define the issue in one direction or the other.
Support for the proposal is highest in New York City 75-19%, the Suburbs (Long Island and Westchester) support the proposal overall with 55-37%, and a plurality from upstate support 49-36%. Men generally support but are more wary of the proposal than women. There is no significant difference between union households and non-union households.
The younger the voter the more support given for this proposal, though all age groups polled were supportive. Income level does not appear to matter in terms of support for the proposal with both the lowest and highest income level similarly supportive, with the middle-income level registering slightly less support, but still relatively high.
In terms of Ethnicity, all groups support with white respondents showing the least support and overwhelming support registering from the Latino and African American communities. There is no discernible difference in religious support aside from higher support from those not identifying with a specific religion.
This Siena College Poll was conducted January 15-19, 2023 among 821 New York State registered voters and has an overall margin of error of +/- 4.3 percentage points.
Central Hudson Facing Class Action Lawsuit
Central Hudson is facing a class action lawsuit seeking damages for the utility’s roll-out of a new billing system that began in September 2021. The lawsuit, filed on January 6 in state Supreme Court, lays out alleged issues experienced by six Central Hudson customers spread across four counties. Any monetary damages awarded would go to any Central Hudson customers who were adversely impacted.
The lawsuit alleges Central Hudson violated the state Energy Consumers Protection Act, which requires charges from gas or electric companies to be “just and reasonable and not more than allowed by law or by order of the commission,” as well as state business law.
It also takes issue with Central Hudson’s estimated readings. “Typical residential customer meters” were being read every other month under the new billing system, according to Jenkins. The utility has pledged to do away with the system and read meters monthly.
The suit seeks refunds and monetary damages for Central Hudson customers as well as attorney’s fees and an injunction on the practices alleged in the suit.
Governor Announces Zinc8 Energy Solutions to Locate in New York
The Governor announced Zinc8 Energy Solutions will relocate its $68 million manufacturing facility and U.S. headquarters to Kingston, Ulster County at the former Tech City, IBM Ulster campus, now known as iPark 87 business park. Zinc8 is a technology developer and manufacturer of zinc-air long-duration energy storage systems for utilities, commercial and industrial facilities, and remote microgrids.
Zinc8’s technology has been developed around the utilization of zinc as the anode fuel, which is expected to offer advantages over other metals due to its high energy density, abundant availability, low cost, and ease of storage and handling. When the system is delivering power, the zinc particles are combined with oxygen drawn from the surrounding air. When the system is recharging, zinc particles are regenerated, and oxygen is returned to the surrounding air. The regenerative system does not require fuel replacement and offers scalable energy capacity through the simple introduction of additional fuel tanks.
Zinc8 will invest approximately $68 million over 5 years to automate and build out the site, making the region its U.S. headquarters and a major hub of manufacturing operations, research and development. Empire State Development has agreed to provide up to $9 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits to encourage and support the creation of 500 jobs.
Governor Hochul said:
NYISO Admonishes NextEra Energy Transmission for Lobbying
New York’s Independent System Operator warned developers competing to win a Long Island transmission project to stop trying to influence its process. The admonition reminding the developers of the NYISO’s governing procedures and principles was spurred by the activities of NextEra Energy Transmission.
The company sent letters of support it gathered for its project to NYISO and also posted them on its website. According to a letter obtained by Politico, NYISO’s president and CEO warned NextEra that it cannot select a project based upon political, parochial or commercial interests and that grassroots lobbying efforts and media coverage are not part of NYISO’s evaluation of the more efficient or cost-effective solution to transmission needs.
NYSERDA Appoints New Chief Program Officer
NYSERDA announced Anthony J. Fiore was appointed Chief Program Officer during its January Board meeting. Mr. Fiore will serve as part of NYSERDA’s executive leadership team, where he will lead and oversee a wide range of clean energy program portfolios in support of achieving the State’s goals mandated in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Mr. Fiore has 24 years of government experience across a broad range of disciplines. Most recently Mr. Fiore has served as the Chief Decarbonization Officer for the City of New York. In this role, Mr. Fiore was responsible for overall management of carbon emissions from government operations and oversaw competitive grant programs related to energy efficiency, innovative technology development, distributed clean energy generation, large-scale renewable energy development, energy supply contracting, and workforce development.
Prior to his role of Chief Decarbonization Officer, Mr. Fiore served as the City’s Director of Energy Regulatory affairs, where he served as the City’s primary energy policy advocate before numerous local, state and federal agencies, and providing analysis over a wide range of regulatory and legislative matters related to energy. Mr. Fiore also has extensive knowledge in water quality, environmental health and safety, engineering and operations, and restructuring of revenue collection operations.
Mr. Fiore previously served on several energy related boards and committees including NYC Building Sustainability Board, Pathways to Carbon Neutral NYC Technical Advisory Committee, Northeast Deep Decarbonization Pathway Advisory Committee, and the NY Smart Grid Consortium Board.
Anthony J. Fiore said:
Legislative Update
State Assembly Agendas (Bills of Interest)
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Consumer Affairs and Protection (ROZIC)
1:00 PM, Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Room 942 LOB
The committee meeting will be broadcast on the NYS Assembly website
A.1285 Fahy/S.1320 Breslin – An act to amend the general business law, in relation to the sale of digital electronic equipment and providing diagnostic and repair information; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the general business law relating to the sale of digital electronic equipment and providing diagnostic and repair information, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 4104-A and A. 7006-B, in relation to the effectiveness thereof – Chapter Amendment
State Senate Agendas (Bills of Interest)
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Senate Standing Committee on Codes
Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, Chair
10:00 AM, Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Room 123 CAP
Committee meetings can be viewed on the NYS Senate website.
S.2311 Myrie/No Same As – An act to amend the penal law, in relation to fines for corporations
Refer to Finance
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Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
Senator Kevin S. Parker, Chair
11:00 AM, Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Room 124 CAP
Committee meetings can be viewed on the NYS Senate website.
NYS Public Service Commission Chair & CEO Rory Christian will address the Committee.
S.378 Parker/No Same As – An act to amend the energy law, in relation to establishing a program for eligible renewable hydrogen
Refer to Finance
S.1694 Parker/No Same As – An act to amend the public service law and the energy law, in relation to establishing the New York state grid modernization commission
Refer to Finance
S.1804 Addabbo/No Same As – An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring gas and electric corporations to provide sixty days’ notice to customers whenever there is a service rate or charge increase
S.1851 Hinchey/A.888 Jacobson – An act to amend the public service law, in relation to permitting the rendering of an estimated bill from a utility corporation or municipality under certain circumstances
S.2432 Comrie/No Same As – An act to amend the public service law, in relation to requiring evidence and consideration of the economic impact of utility rates and charges by the public service commission
S.2474 Parker/No Same As – An act to amend the energy law, in relation to directing the state energy planning board to conduct a study of the technical and economic feasibility of a one hundred percent renewable energy system and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
S.2623 Parker/No Same As – An act to direct the department of state and the public service commission to jointly study and report upon the provision to consumer credit reporting agencies by public utility companies, cable television companies and cellular telephone service suppliers of information on late payments of or default on any fees or charges incurred by consumers; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
S.2710 Parker/No Same As – An act to amend the public service law, in relation to prohibiting the release of consumption data
S.2711 Parker/No Same As – An act to amend the public service law, in relation to the establishment of reduced residential rates for electric and natural gas service to low-income customers
S.2935 Parker/No Same As – An act relating to the development of a blueprint to guide the replacement and redevelopment of New York’s oldest and most-polluting fossil fuel facilities and their sites by 2030
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Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary
Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Chair
9:30 AM, Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Room 124 CAP
Committee meetings can be viewed on the NYS Senate website.
S.14 Gounardes/A.306 Cruz – An act to amend the general obligations law, in relation to the release of certain claims by certain employees
S.1243 Krueger/No Same As – An act to amend the civil practice law and rules, in relation to statute of limitations for certain overcharges
S.1305 Comrie/A.1321 Rajkumar – An act to amend the real property actions and proceedings law, in relation to access to adjoining property to make improvements or repairs
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Senate Standing Committee on Labor
Senator Jessica Ramos, Chair
1:00 PM, Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Room 124 CAP
Committee meetings can be viewed on the NYS Senate website.
NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento will address the Committee.
S.1209 Persaud/No Same As – An act to amend the labor law, in relation to flexible working arrangements for parents and legal guardians when day care centers and schools are closed during a state or local disaster emergency
S.2175 Kennedy/No Same As – An act to amend the workers’ compensation law, in relation to providing for paid family leave following a stillbirth
S.2518 Ramos/No Same As – An act to amend the labor law, in relation to prohibiting an employer from requesting or requiring that an employee or applicant disclose any user name, password, or other means for accessing a personal account through specified electronic communications devices
Bills Passed Last Week
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Passed Assembly:
A.622 O’Donnell/S.2621 Krueger – Exempts certain projects from requirements for providing EV charging capability and from certain labor law provisions for public projects chapter amendment
A.975 Buttenschon/S.2221 Martinez – Provides for the offense of unlawful dissemination of a personal image and a private right of action for such offense chapter amendmen
A.1322 Bichotte Hermelyn/S.1325 Sanders – Relates to crimes involving the death or serious physical injury of an employee; defines employee; updates the effectiveness of such provisions chapter amendment
Passed Senate:
A.1322 Bichotte Hermelyn/S.1325 Sanders – Relates to crimes involving the death or serious physical injury of an employee; defines employee; updates the effectiveness of such provisions chapter amendment
S.60 Harckham/A.309 Burdick – Relates to directing the state board of real property tax services to conduct a study on real property tax saturation.
S.848 Gianaris/A.1284 Reyes – Requires an employer to recognize the establishment of a workplace safety committee within fifteen business days chapter amendment
Passed Both:
A.1322 Bichotte Hermelyn/S.1325 Sanders – Relates to crimes involving the death or serious physical injury of an employee; defines employee; updates the effectiveness of such provisions chapter amendment
State Register
Public Service Commission
- Updates to Guidance for Electric Utility Distributed System Implementation Plans (DSIP) (P)
- Gas Metering Equipment (P)
- The New York State Standardized Interconnection Requirements (P)
- Proposal by Electric Utilities for a Coordinated Grid Planning Process (P)
- Transfer of Electric Facilities (P)
- Application of the Public Service Law to Owners of a Proposed Project Connecting Sunrise Wind Farm to New York’s Electric Grid (P)
- Waiver of Certain Commission Requirements Related to the Publishing and Distribution of Telephone Directories (P)
In The News
A lot more than gas stoves: A deep dive into what NY must do to meet its climate law.
NY Post: NY Rep. Jerry Nadler accused of hypocrisy for opposing 5G cell phone towers in the Upper East Side.
Ulster County Executive disputes Central Hudson’s claim that all billing errors are fixed.
Governor pushes back on criticism about gas appliance proposal.
Offshore Wind Innovation Hub announces opening in Brooklyn.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory: A Supply Chain Road Map for Offshore Wind Energy in the United States.
Seneca Lake advocates file clean water act citizen suit against Greenidge crypto mining operations.
Emissions goals pose challenges for New York farmers.
New York company proposes repowering fossil fuel plant with offshore wind.
New York Times: Climate Change May Usher in a New Era of Trade Wars.