Utility 2.0 Plan
Background
Pursuant to the Public Authorities Law, PSEG LI, Service Provider for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), submits for review to the DPS, proposed plans related to implementation of energy efficiency tools to help customers more effectively manage their energy usage, utility bills and improve system reliability and power quality. The PSEG LI EE programs offer incentives and rebates to residents, including Low and Moderate Income (LMI), and commercial customers to aide them in using less energy to achieve the same results. PSEG LI’s annual Energy Efficiency Plan is included within its U2.0 filing.
As part of the Department’s regulatory oversight of electric service operations on Long Island pursuant to the Public Service Law, DPS reviews the proposed plans and provides recommendations to the LIPA Board of Trustees (BoT).
Utility 2.0 Plan Proposals
PSEG LI’s 2024 Utility 2.0 Plan provides updates and budget adjustments on initiatives previously reviewed by DPS and approved in prior years by the LIPA BoT. The current plan includes updates for the following programs:
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Make-Ready and Fleet Make-Ready Programs
- Suffolk County Bus Make-Ready Pilot
- Residential Charger Rebate Program
- Demand Charge Rebate/EV Phase-In Rate
- Connected Buildings Pilot
- Residential Energy Storage Program
- Integrated Energy Data Resource (IEDR) Platform
Additionally, the 2024 Utility 2.0 Plan includes five-year budget projections through 2030 for many of the initiatives contained therein.
Energy Efficiency (EE) Plan
Background
PSEG LI submitted its annual Energy Efficiency (EE) Plan to DPS on July 1, 2024, within its Utility 2.0 filing. The EE Plan describes PSEG LI’s customer-facing energy efficiency programs for residential and commercial customers, their associated energy savings targets, program budgets, and benefit-cost analyses. PSEG LI utilizes an independent evaluator for evaluation, measurement and verification of energy savings and for technical recommendations to improve program performance on an annual basis.
PSEG LI offers enhanced incentives to Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) residential customers through three independent programs, The Home Comfort LMI, Home Performance LMI, and the Residential Energy Affordability Partnership (REAP). In 2025, the three proposed programs will provide LMI residential customers with rebates to help them weatherize their homes, pay for the installation of heat pumps, and incentives for direct install energy efficiency measures.
Energy Efficiency Proposals
The total proposed budget for the 2025 EE portfolio is $92.45 million. Some of the key program proposals in the Plan include but are not limited to:
- Energy Efficient Products: provides rebates or incentives for the purchase and use of Energy Star appliances (e.g., thermostats, dryers, water heaters, dehumidifiers), Energy Star certified linear LED lighting, heat pumps, pool pumps, linear fixture lighting, and advanced power strips. Energy Star certified products meet the energy efficiency standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Residential Home Comfort: offers rebate incentives for efficient heating and cooling systems which helps reach New York State’s Green House Gas reduction goals. Home Comfort Partners work with customers to encourage high efficiency choices when purchasing and installing Whole House Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), Geothermal Heat Pumps, Air to Water Heat Pumps, Heat Pump Water Heaters, and weatherization measures such as duct/air sealing, insulation and windows.
- Residential Energy Affordability Partnership (REAP): provides efficiency measures and a free comprehensive home assessment for income-eligible customers. The program provides education and program referrals intended to help participants save energy and reduce electric bills.
- Home Performance: is a federal program administered locally by PSEG LI. This program provides free professional energy audits for any single-family homeowner in PSEG LI’s service territory. The customer receives a comprehensive whole-house energy review including appliances, insulation, and domestic hot water. Eligible customers with electric heat can participate in the free Home Performance Direct Install program, which includes a Home Energy Assessment and select free efficiency upgrades.
- Commercial Efficiency Programs: provides complimentary energy assessments and rebates to eligible nonresidential customers for energy conservation measures and engineering/design services. Rebates are available for energy saving measures, such as air conditioning, weatherization (pipe insulation, air curtains, envelope insulation, duct sealing, air sealing), outdoor lighting and refrigeration. Technical Assistance rebates are available to offset the cost of engineering, design, and energy modeling services for qualifying projects.
View a copy of PSEG LI’s Energy Efficiency Plan.
State Goals
The Plans are developed in alignment with NY State strategic priorities. These priorities and associated targets are primarily set forth in statute and Public Service Commission policy which are the basis for Department recommendations. Some of the more significant state policy pronouncements and guidance documents related to energy efficiency can be found in Case 18-M-0084 in the Department’s Document Matter Management system (DMM), including the Order Authorizing Utility Energy Efficiency and Building Electrification Portfolios Through 2025 issued January 16, 2020. The PSC has set forth a pathway to achieving a statewide 185 TBTU site energy savings target by 2025. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) was passed in June 2019 which further solidified clean energy goals for New York State.
New York’s CLCPA recognizes that climate change does not affect all communities equally. The CLCPA ensures disadvantaged/underserved communities benefit from the state’s transition to cleaner sources of energy, reduced pollution, cleaner air, and economic opportunities.
The CLCPA mandates that benefits of spending on clean energy and energy efficiency programs, projects, or investments in the areas of housing, workforce development, pollution reduction, low-income energy assistance, energy transportation, and economic development be allocated for disadvantaged communities.
PSEG LI customers (residential/commercial) can find out more about EE Programs, accessing job training and employment in the clean energy sector, home/business weatherization, assistance filing an application for a free home energy assessment or locating a qualified contractor to perform clean energy upgrades by contacting the Long Island Clean Energy Hub.
Public Comment
To ensure full public participation in the review of the proposed Utility 2.0/ EE Plan, DPS invites public and stakeholder input and establishes a public comment period each year. Comments filed with the Department will be posted to the Department’s Document Matter Management system (DMM) which is accessible online. Comments will become part of the record considered by the Department in its review and development of recommendations.
Interested persons or parties are invited to submit comments on the Plan during the open comment period, which begins shortly after PSEG LI files its annual plan. Please check back for updates regarding the comment period for 2025. Comments may be submitted via:
- Online Comment Form: Comments may be entered directly into the case/matter page on the DPS website: Matter 14-01299. Once on the matter page, enter comments by clicking on the “Post Comments” tab located at the top of the page, or submit comments via the online form.
- First Class Mail: Comments may be mailed and delivered to:
Hon. Michelle L. Phillips, Secretary
New York State Public Service Commission
Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.
Your comments should refer to “Matter Number 14-01299—PSEG Long Island’s Utility 2.0 Plan.” - Toll-free Opinion Line: Comments may also be submitted through the DPS Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. The number is designed to take comments about pending cases from in-state callers, 24 hours a day. Callers should press “2” to leave comments, mentioning PSEG Long Island’s Utility 2.0 Plan.
For more information about the review process for the Utility 2.0 or Energy Efficiency Plans, you may contact the Department of Public Service at 1-888-275-7721.
Stay Connected
Staying informed of case or matter activity is easy through the DMM System. As a registered user of the application, you will be able to self-subscribe to the service or party list, submit Comments and E-File.
E-Filing - Electronic filing through the DMM System provides for secure, fast and accurate processing of your filings. With E-Filing you will be able to submit up to 100 MB of data of both public and confidential documents. E-Filing is the preferred method for the submission of filings.
Comments - See Submitting Comments section above.
Service List - By subscribing to a service list for a case, an email notification will be sent to you when a filing and/or issuance is entered in the case. Subscribers can request to receive “Commission Issuances Only” or “Filings and Commissions Issuances.”
Party List - Generally, parties commit to contribute to the development of a complete record in a proceeding by conducting discovery, submitting testimony, briefs, or other formal written comments, and/or participating in evidentiary hearings, procedural conferences and other formal events conducted in the case.
For more information and step by step instructions visit:
Important Dates
- 7/1/2024 - PSEG LI filed their Utility 2.0 and EE Plan
- 8/21/2024 - Public Comments Due
- 9/06/2024 - Reply Comments Due
- 11/01/2024 - DPS issued final recommendation to LIPA Recommendation Letter - RC
- 12/18/2024 - LIPA Board of Trustees Voted to adopt the Plan as part of the 2025 Budget approval process.