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History
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
- Referred to energy and telecommunications
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Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S774
Title of bill
An act to amend the public service law, in relation to providing real time smart metering technology to residential electricity customers
Purpose or general idea of bill
To facilitate the use of "smart metering" of electricity by residential users so that households can reduce the cost of electrical services by utilizing electricity during off-peak times, which is cheaper than using electricity during high peak demand times.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 states the legislative intent.
Section 2 adds a new section to the Public Service Law, Section 39-a, which encourages the use of real time pricing smart metering for residential consumers. Larger commercial and industrial users of electricity already have access to this new metering technology. This section provides:
*definitions for what the new "smart meters" must be able to do so that residential consumers can easily compare on a 1/2 hour basis the amount of electricity the consumer uses and the price of such electricity at the time of use;
*authorization for the Public Service Commission (PSC) to certify companies that can sell, maintain, or repair such smart meters; * permission for electric utility companies and independent vendors to sell, maintain, or repair such smart meters; and
*the ability for the Public Service Commission to establish pilot projects to counties that wish to establish such smart metering projects.
Justification
Smart metering programs already exist for large commercial and industrial users of electricity, which have proven successful in New York and throughout the United States as a means to control costs, conserve energy, and prevent service disruptions. Smart metering and demand response programs could provide residential electricity consumers with electricity rate price signals so that such consumers would have accurate knowledge to properly alter their behavior and utilize electricity during cheaper off-peak times of the day.
This would have two benefits. First, the cost of electricity could be reduced for residential customers because it would be utilized when the price of electricity was low. Second, shifting the demand for electricity from peak times would reduce the stress that is placed on electrical generating plants, transmission lines, and the national electrical grid to provide more power during peak usage times. This, in turn, would reduce the likelihood of blackouts and other service disruptions that can happen when power plants and transmission lines
are forced to Produce large amounts of electricity at or above their normal generating capacity.
Prior legislative history
2013-2014 S.1642 -Referred to Energy and Telecommunications; 2011-12: S.1084 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications 2009-10: S.8380/A.7349 - Referred to Energy & Telecommunications/ Energy(Similar to) 2007-08: S:4969-A/A.8111-A 2005-06: S.8143/A:11647
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the 270th day after it has become law, with provisions.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.