August 24, 2008
PSC Commissioners - Garry A. Brown, Patricia L. Acampora, Maureen F. Harris, Robert E. Curry, Jr. and Cheryl A. Buley
New York State Public Service Commission
Agency Building 3
Albany, NY 12223-1350
RE: Iberdrola acquisition of Energy East - Case # 07-M-0906
Dear Commissioners:
The conduct by the PSC staff at the regular meeting on August 20, 2008 is appalling. Especially the disingenuous comment that stated that if the PSC want to ignore their own decade old policy of separating generation from transmission, that a legal loophole can be used to grant SPECIAL treatment to the Spanish utility and wind developer IBERDROLA. Each commissioner has a duty to the ratepayer and taxpayer to administer a fair playing field for all companies. The approval of special entitlement, caving into political pressure from Schumer and others, and the 180-degree reversal from Judge Epstein’s report begs an Attorney General investigation of PSC and staff.
The public will face dramatic increases in their electric utility rates if Iberdrola is allowed to keep and expand their highly unreliable and costly industrial wind generation facilities. Commissioner Buley was correct in voicing her concerns on August 20th. Nevertheless, where is the leadership among other commissioners to challenge the clear appearance of corporate cronyism among the staff of the PSC? The viewing public watched the feeble attempt to reverse PSC policy for no good or compelling reason. Any reasonable person viewing would want to know the reasons why the Epstein report should be discarded and what possible public benefit could come from reversing deregulation policy.
The Citizen Power Alliance represents dozens of statewide organizations, which in turn speak for the hundreds of ratepayers and thousands of voters. The political fix has been the way NYS politics has operated for decades. Citizens are disgusted with political hacks making policy that favor “Special Interest” while penalizing ordinary people.
IBERDROLA must NOT be allowed to own, operate or buy additional industrial wind projects. CPA appeals to the moral character of PSC commissioners to stand up to the corporate pressure and insane economic giveaways that this state cannot afford. If you are determined to approve the Energy East acquisition, maintain the deregulation standard and ban Iberdrola from wind generation. Your duty is to protect the public. If the PSC acts as a rubber stamp for a foreign monopoly, more people will exit NYS.
CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE
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