Civic Groups Call On Public Service Commission to Extend Public Comment Period for $7B in Nuclear Plant Subsidies
Four leading good government groups joined the City of New York and numerous environmental and consumer watchdog groups in asking the Public Service Commission to extend the public comment period before voting on awarding up to $7B in public subsidies to keep four Upstate nuclear plants operating. The subsidy would be in the form of a monthly $2 to $3 a month surcharge on household electric bills. Almost all of the subsidy would go to one company, Exelon Corporation. Our groups have no joint position on nuclear power subsidies, but sent the letter because of the magnitude of the public cost, and the desire to see the public get the maximum possible opportunity to be heard. (UPDATE: on July 22, 2016, PSC rejected our request in an emailed letter and noted they had already extended the comment period from six to ten business days.)
July 21, 2016
Kathleen Burgess
Secretary to the New York State Public Service Commission
Three Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York 12223-1350
Re: Request to extend public comment period on adoption of Large-Scale Renewable Program and Clean Energy Standard to 45 days.
Dear Secretary Burgess:
We join other watchdog groups in asking that the Public Service Commission extend the public comment period on case 15-E-0302 (large scale renewables and nuclear plant subsidies) to 45 days.
Given the magnitude of the potential costs imposed on the public we believe more time for public review and comment is necessary.
Thank You,
Blair Horner
Executive Director
NY Public Interest Research Group
146 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
Susan Lerner
Executive Director
Common Cause NY
80 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004
John Kaehny
Executive Director
Reinvent Albany
148 Lafayette Street, 12th floor
New York, NY 10013
Laura Ladd Bierman
Executive Director
League of Women Voters of NYS
62 Grand Street
Albany, NY 12207