IPPNY Statement on the Irresponsible and Ill-Conceived Build Public Renewables Act
IPPNY Statement on the Irresponsible and Ill-Conceived Build Public Renewables Act
Bill Would Unnecessarily Raise Costs for NYPA Ratepayers Without Helping the State Reach Its Renewable Goals Any Quicker
Albany, NY – The Build Public Renewables Act is an imprudent proposal that is designed to destabilize energy markets requiring NYPA to build renewable power generation instead of just authorizing it to. New York may not be on track to meet its renewable goals mainly because the goals were established into law to rush poor energy policy. The negative consequences that would come from enactment would certainly outweigh any positives, and IPPNY stands by its strong opposition of the bill.
This bill would unnecessarily raise costs for NYPA’s ratepayers without helping the State work towards the CLCPA’s renewable goals any quicker. NYPA has over 1,000 customers, from local and state governments such as the New York City Housing Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, county governments, and numerous municipalities and school districts, to large and small business and non-profit organizations. These customers currently rely on NYPA’s favorable energy rates. With that, why should the State increase costs for ratepayers when competitive power producers are more than willing and able to continue investing in renewable projects without it negatively affect ratepayer wallets?
IPPNY President and CEO Gavin J. Donohue said, “With major projects in the works from private investors and the benefits that consumers see, there is no reason to shake that up by allowing NYPA into the fold. There is currently no evidence that proposals submitted through NYSERDA’s RFP process are inadequate, so why change up the competitive procurement process when private independent energy companies are more than willing to continue investing in New York?”
Independent investors in New York pay roughly $1.7 billion in property taxes annually to their local communities. Conversely, NYPA would not pay property taxes if it were to acquire existing renewable facilities or build new ones. As a result, surrounding communities would miss out on the local financial benefits, such as school aid, that the independent developers currently pay annually in property taxes.
IPPNY’s written testimony from the public hearing on the role of State authorities in renewable energy development can be accessed here.
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IPPNY is an Albany-based trade association representing companies in the competitive power supply industry in New York State. IPPNY Members generate the majority of New York's electricity using a wide variety of generating technologies and fuels including hydro, nuclear, wind, natural gas, solar, energy storage, biomass, oil, and waste-to-energy. For more information, please visit our website at www.ippny.org.
