Press Releases

IPPNY Statement on announcement of lowered Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Cap

Albany, NY 2/7/13 - Gavin J. Donohue, President & CEO of the Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc. (IPPNY), said "IPPNY supports the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors and the ongoing development of a fair and appropriate national program. New York already has seen significant environmental improvements from independent power producers over the last decade. We look forward to working with Governor Cuomo's Administration to ensure that the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative's allowance auction proceeds are invested further to reduce emissions from the power plant sector even more than the significant accomplishments to date through areas such as innovative carbon dioxide abatement methods and renewable and non-carbon dioxide emitting technologies."

By 2012, New York's electric generation sector already had reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels, accomplishing twenty years early its share of the state's goal to reduce emission by this amount. The Governor's State of the State document, NY Rising, acknowledged that carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in New York have been reduced by around 45 percent from 2005 levels.

Additionally, since 2000, through the implementation of competitive electricity markets and regulatory requirements, power producers have provided more environmental benefits. For example, the rate of power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in New York State has dropped by more than 86 percent and that of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by over 76 percent.

-30- 

The Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc. (IPPNY) is an Albany-based trade association representing the competitive power supply industry in New York State. IPPNY Members generate over 75 percent of New York's electricity using a wide variety of generating technologies and fuels including hydro, nuclear, wind, coal, oil, natural gas and biomass.