New York Utility Regulators Set Buffalo Forum on Renewable Energy Plan
Jun 14 - The Buffalo News
The state Public Service Commission will hold a public forum on Wednesday in Buffalo on a proposal that would require a quarter of its electricity purchased in New York to come from renewable energy sources.
New York currently gets about 19 percent of its electricity from renewable
sources, mostly from the New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Project and a
smaller hydro plant on the St. Lawrence River.
Adopting the recommendations could lead to higher electricity prices, the PSC
said. The report estimates that residential electric bills could rise by as much
as 1.8 percent, while commercial bills could go up as much as 2 percent and
industrial customers could pay up to 2.4 percent more. State officials have said
the often high costs of renewable energy sources could be offset by a reduced
reliance on higher-priced fossil fuels. If that happens, estimated residential
bills could go down slightly.
The proposal, which recommends that the state meet the higher renewable
energy quotas by 2013, also would reduce pollution, cutting nitrogen oxide
emissions statewide by almost 7 percent, sulfur dioxide emissions by 6 percent
and carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 8 percent.
The forum will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Mahoney State Office
Building, 65 Court St.
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