Public Comments on Selected Policy Issues Raised by the New York Public Service Commission’s ‘Reforming the Energy Vision’

Guarini Center Senior Fellow Jonathan Schrag submitted comments on selected policy issues raised by the New York Public Service Commission’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV). In the comments, Schrag urges the Public Service Commission to maintain its focus on the overarching goal of incentive programs for clean energy – which is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – while providing the marketplace with the flexibility to determine the most efficient way of achieving that goal. Schrag also cautions the Commission about the risks inherent in allowing utilities to both own distributed energy resources and serve as the “Distributed Service Platform Provider (DSPP),” as is contemplated by the Staff Report. To mitigate these risks, Schrag suggests the identity of the DSPP be determined through a competitive process such as an auction.