PSC Improves Outreach and Education Requirements of Community Choice Aggregation Program

NEW YORK — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today adopted enhancements to the State’s Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program’s outreach and education requirements.  The CCA program is intended to provide more attractive energy supply terms through the bargaining power that aggregation provides, the expertise provided by municipal or consultant experts, and the competitive public process for choosing an Energy Service Company (ESCO) supplier.  The CCA construct also provides local governments the opportunity to engage with their residents and businesses on critical energy issues and to develop innovative programs, products, and services that promote and advance the achievement of the state’s energy goals.

“The Commission remains interested in allowing CCA programs to provide more local control of energy supply sources and price, so long as consumers benefit and statewide policy goals are advanced,” said Commission Chair Rory M. Christian. “As the Commission continues to review the outcomes achieved by CCAs in terms of price, customer participation in clean energy programs, and renewable energy procurements, we must ensure consumers have information about the CCA program and understand how to opt out if they wish.” 

The expansion of the outreach and education requirements approved today will ensure that an appropriate and effective level of Administrator engagement was conducted within a CCA municipality prior to the start of the municipality’s out-opt CCA program.  The changes include increasing community awareness and community engagement, lengthening the outreach and education period, increasing the minimum number of outreach and education actions necessary, clarifying the rules around the exchange of CCA related data, and ensuring municipalities acknowledge their legal and program requirements.

The Commission has also directed Department of Public Service staff to work with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to obtain a third-party consultant to conduct an extensive evaluation of the CCA program to assess the benefits and effectiveness of the program’s policies and goals. The program evaluation will inform the Commission as it considers whether the opt-out CCA program serves the public interest of mass market customers in New York State; currently, there are 53 municipalities participating in the CCA program in New York State.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments, are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 130 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 14-M-0224 in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.

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