Press Releases

IPPNY Testifies at the Public Hearing on the Draft State Energy Plan

Contact:
Gavin Donohue or
Sara Rosenberger
518-436-3749

Albany, N.Y., 9/15/09 - The Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc. (IPPNY) today expressed its support for the direction and scope of the Draft NYS Energy Plan, while also reinforcing the need to foster policies that better position New York State to attract necessary energy investments. Gavin Donohue, IPPNY's President and CEO, testified this morning at a public hearing, before members of the New York State Energy Planning Board.

Donohue stated that, according to the governor's Executive Order #2, the 2009 NYS Energy Plan is intended to identify and assess critical factors that will affect the state's ability to meet its projected future energy needs. Primary objectives of the Plan are sustaining an environment capable of attracting reasonably priced capital to support necessary investments and maintaining the adequacy and reliability of critical systems and infrastructure.

"IPPNY is encouraged that the Plan appropriately acknowledges the importance of competitive markets and competitive solicitations for the acquisition of new supply, supports the re-enactment of a fuel-neutral power plant siting law, expresses continued state support of the Renewable Portfolio Standard Program (RPS) program, and makes strides to have RPS benefits available to all renewable energy resources," Donohue remarked.

Donohue underscored that the primary focus of the Plan could be achieved better by clarifying its provisions to: (1) include a more cumulative evaluation of all environmental programs affecting the energy sector and their impacts on energy policy, as well as cost, reliability, fuel diversity and economic development; (2) remove contradictions about the role of nuclear power in the state's energy future by accepting all of the state's existing facilities and encouraging the prudent development of facilities in the future; (3) make a top state priority enabling a private sector company to demonstrate a carbon capture and sequestration technology project in this state, and (4) articulate more clearly how the state will maintain and enhance fuel diversity, in concert with the state's proposed actions for addressing the impact of climate change.

Donohue's testimony can be accessed here.

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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.