Energy Views

The ability to harness energy has likely fascinated - and frightened - us since before the beginning of time. Whether it was the discovery that fire could light up the dark and cook food - or the recognition that electricity could be harnessed to light up our houses and manage untold volumes of data - we continue to crave energy's benefits while worrying about its side effects. Today that conflict has won global attention but requires local action. As the expansion of the global economy and its ever-growing technological needs drives extraordinary increases in energy requirements, the ever-growing recognition of the threat of global warming and other environmental concerns is compelling ever-increasing vigilance in curbing our energy consumption. Further complicating the dynamics of that relationship are the economic pressures that are escalating the costs of energy. Political turmoil is only one of many elements that are driving concerns about our energy security and reliability. Against those complex backdrops, the New York Energy Consumers Council, Inc. (NYECC) is representing the perspectives of commercial and institutional energy consumers in New York City and Westchester County on several fronts. In early May of this year, Con Edison filed an electric rate increase request that would total $4.735 billion over the three-year period from April of 2008 through March 2011. The NYECC is currently an active party in that proceeding working to protect its constituency during the Public Service Commission's (PSC) evaluation of that rate request. On September 25th the PSC issued an order in Con Edison's most recent natural gas case, where the NYECC was also an active participant. In November, the local energy community expects Con Edison to file a request to increase the rates it charges for its steam services. In consideration of Con Edison's previous steam rate request, the NYECC worked successfully with the other active parties to reduce a proposed $219.3 million increase to a zero increase in base rates over the two year rate plan, except for the shift of certain recovery costs between base rates and the Fuel Adjustment Clause in the second rate year - keeping steam rates flat for a three-year period that will end on September 30, 2008. Even as the NYECC works aggressively to minimize unfavorable financial impact on large energy consumers in Con Edison's service territory, we are working with many parties to help craft public policies that will help reduce energy consumption and the resultant environmental exposures. The Public Service Commission is currently considering the appropriate role of public policy and regulatory guidance in the areas of energy efficiency and conservation. The NYECC team is working hard to ensure that the voice of the large institutional and commercial energy consumer in New York City and Westchester County is heard and understood in these rate cases. In addition, the NYECC works very hard to intervene on behalf of its members when they have difficulty reaching the right points of contact with Con Edison, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the New York Power Authority (NYPA), and many other local, state, and federal government entities. The NYECC is aggressively advocating its members' concerns with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the EPA's Energy Star program, and the United States Green Buildings Council (USGBC). The NYECC's Executive Director, David F. Bomke, notes that, "Although the NYECC's efforts often benefit non-members, only members of the organization derive the maximum benefit of the market presence represented by its membership. Moreover, all large energy consumers would suffer if there were no organization doing the work of the NYECC." On October 9th, the NYECC will be conducting a half-day seminar on the merits of Clean Distributed Generation at the Newman Conference Center at Baruch College, 151 E.25th Street, New York City. The morning seminar will run from 8:30 to 11:30 and will feature a keynote address by Paul D. Tonko, President of NYSERDA, as well as a panel discussion of the environmental merits of this technology, moderated by Ashok Gupta, of the Natural Resources Defense Council. For more information on this seminar, including information on how to register for it, please see www.nyecc.com. For more information on how you and your organization could benefit from membership in the NYECC, please check out www.nyecc.com or contact David F. Bomke at (212) 356-0030 or [email protected]. In November, the local energy community expects Con Edison to file a request to increase the rates it charges for its steam services. In consideration of Con Edison's previous steam rate request, the NYECC worked successfully with the other active parties to reduce a proposed $219.3 million increase to a zero increase in base rates over the two year rate plan, except for the shift of certain recovery costs between base rates and the Fuel Adjustment Clause in the second rate year - keeping steam rates flat for a three-year period that will end on September 30, 2008. Even as the NYECC works aggressively to minimize unfavorable financial impact on large energy consumers in Con Edison's service territory, we are working with many parties to help craft public policies that will help reduce energy consumption and the resultant environmental exposures. The Public Service Commission is currently considering the appropriate role of public policy and regulatory guidance in the areas of energy efficiency and conservation. The NYECC team is working hard to ensure that the voice of the large institutional and commercial energy consumer in New York City and Westchester County is heard and understood in these rate cases. In addition, the NYECC works very hard to intervene on behalf of its members when they have difficulty reaching the right points of contact with Con Edison, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the New York Power Authority (NYPA), and many other local, state, and federal government entities. The NYECC is aggressively advocating its members' concerns with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the EPA's Energy Star program, and the United States Green Buildings Council (USGBC). The NYECC's executive director, David Bomke, notes that, "Although the NYECC's efforts often benefit non-members, only members of the organization derive the maximum benefit of the market presence represented by its membership. Moreover, all large energy consumers would suffer if there were no organization doing the work of the NYECC." On October 9th, the NYECC will be conducting a half-day seminar on the merits of Clean Distributed Generation at the Newman Conference Center at Baruch College, 151 E.25th St., New York City. The morning seminar will run from 8:30 to 11:30 and will feature a keynote address by Paul Tonko, [resident of NYSERDA, as well as a panel discussion of the environmental merits of this technology, moderated by Ashok Gupta, of the Natural Resources Defense Council. For more information on this seminar, including information on how to register for it, please see www.nyecc.com. David Bomke is an executive director at NYECC, New York, N.Y.