PSC Expands Ability to Use Wind Power

Non-Residential Customers Now Eligible to Net Meter Wind Generation

ALBANY, NY (06/18/2009)(readMedia)--

The New York State Public Service Commission today approved tariff filings, with modifications, for implementation of net metering residential, farm service and non-residential wind electric generating systems in the service territories of four investor-owned utilities in New York. Net metering enables customers to sell back power to the utility. The effective date of the modified net metering tariffs is July 1, 2009.

"Net metering encourages the use of small-scale renewable energy systems, which provide long-term benefits to the environment and the economy," said Commission Chairman Garry Brown. "By using net metering, a home or business owner is able to take excess electricity created by wind energy generation or other qualifying renewable generation and in effect either banks the electricity until it is needed or sells it back to the utility at its retail value, thereby providing a benefit for the customer and the environment."

The four investor-owned utilities-Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid, New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG), Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E), and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation (Central Hudson)-made the requisite filings by April 1, 2009, to conform their wind net metering tariffs to the requirements of Section 66-l of the Public Service Law.

Previously, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison) and Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) filed wind net metering tariffs which were approved by the Commission in the 2009 Net Metering Order. That Order, however, provided that Con Edison and O&R could be required to revise their wind net metering tariffs when the remaining four investor-owned utilities' tariffs were considered by the Commission.

Currently, Central Hudson, National Grid, NYSEG and RG&E limit wind net metering to residential installations of 25kW or less and residential farm installations of 125kW or less, subject to a ceiling set at 0.2 percent of each utility's 2003 peak load.

Today the Commission approved utilities' wind net metering tariffs to: 1) expand eligibility for wind net metering to include non-residential customers installing wind generation systems sized at no more than the customer's load, up to a ceiling of 2 megawatts; 2) increase the capacity ceiling for farm wind systems from 125kW to 500kW; and, 3) expand each utility's wind generation load ceiling to 0.3 percent of the utility's peak demand for 2005 on a first-come, first-served basis. Residential installations eligible for net metering remain unchanged at a maximum of 25kW.

The Commission's written Order in Cases 09-E-0284, 09-E-0296, 09-E-0297, 09-E-0298, 08-E-1306 and 08-E-1307, when issued, may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission's Web site at www.dps.state.ny.us and entering any one of the aforementioned case numbers in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number."

The Commission's 2009 Net Metering Order in Case 08-E-1305 also can be obtained from the Commission's Web site. Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission Orders may also be obtained from the Commission's Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, NY 12223 (518-474-2500).