James A. Denn

The meeting focused on the implementation of low to moderate income (LMI) energy efficiency and building electrification (EE/BE) programs following the commission's May 15th order. Topics included the regulatory background and history of clean energy fund portfolios, the strategic framework for the 2026-2030 time period, and the roles and responsibilities of program administrators. Participants reviewed the budget allocation, the collaboration required for multi-family building programs, and upcoming deadlines for filings. Additionally, the discussion touched upon cross-portfolio activities, including disadvantaged community engagement, regional weatherization initiatives, and workforce development.

The Commission addressed extreme heat customer protections, standardizing policies across major electric and water utilities to prohibit service termination during extreme heat events. The session also covered the approval of a transfer related to the Champlain Hudson Power Express project and a petition regarding the make-ready program for electric vehicles.

The Commission addressed various enforcement proceedings involving violations of underground facility protection regulations, imposing penalties on several construction and utility companies. The Commission also made decisions regarding petitions for rehearing, tariff amendments, and the implementation of a moratorium customer bill of rights. Other key topics included granting waivers for test periods in rate proceedings, modifying filing cadences for distributed system implementation plans, and maintaining broadband speed standards. Additionally, the Commission certified customer debt amounts, granted environmental compatibility certificates for power projects, authorized submetering for multiple residential and commercial properties, approved maintenance tier awards for hydroelectric facilities, and reviewed cable franchise renewals and agreements.

The meeting served to preview the Low and Moderate Income Energy Efficiency and Building Electrification (LMI EBE) programs rolling out in 2026. Key discussion points included updates on the LMI EBE portfolio, which was authorized with $1.57 billion for the 2026-2030 program years, targeting over 600,000 LMI households. The discussion covered program administrators (Con Edison, National Grid, and NAERTA) and their respective roles. Specific focus was given to changes in the Empower Plus program administered by NAERTA, including updates to contractor application submissions starting March 18th, changes to low-income eligibility based on utilizing the greater of 60% Area Median Income or State Median Income, and pipeline management to align demand with budgets. The objectives of the programs, such as reducing energy consumption and cost for high-burden households and ensuring stakeholder feedback incorporation, were also outlined.

The session addressed two main items. Item 301 involved the consideration and approval of the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission's adoption of 16 NYCRR parts 1100, 1101, and 1102, pursuant to the RAPID Act, aiming to streamline regulations for major renewable energy and electric transmission facilities while ensuring environmental protection. Commissioners discussed the rigorous two-year development process, public engagement, land use practices, application fees, and coordination with the Department of Environmental Conservation. Item 302 concerned initiating a proceeding, the Energize New York Development initiative, to assess and modernize the interconnection process for large electric loads, such as data centers, to balance economic development, system reliability, and ratepayer protection against unprecedented growth in interconnection queue requests.