PSC Seeks Public Comment Regarding Edgewood Energy, LLC’s (Edgewood) Petition for a Certificate Amendment and Order Confirming Lightened Regulation

The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) invites public comment on a petition in which Edgewood requests amendment of its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (Certificate) and an order confirming that it will continue to be subject to lightened regulation as a generator participating in the wholesale energy market. The Certificate amendment would authorize Edgewood to increase the net output at its electric generating facility located in Brentwood, New York. Opportunities to comment include two public statement hearings, which will be held before an Administrative Law Judge.

It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance or present written material to speak at the hearings.  It is not necessary to be present at the start of the hearing. Persons interested in speaking will be asked to complete a card requesting time to speak when they arrive at the hearing, and will be called in the order in which the cards are received. Speakers are not required to provide written copies of their comments.  The hearings will be held open for a minimum of one hour, and will continue until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements are made.

Disabled persons requiring special accommodations may place a collect call to the Department of Public Service's Human Resource Management Office at 518-474-2520 and should contact that office as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711 to reach the Department of Public Service’s Human Resource Management Office at the previously mentioned number.

Public Statement Hearings

 Brentwood: Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Afternoon Session starting: 3:00 p.m.
Evening Session starting: 6:00 p.m.

Brentwood Public Library - Meeting Room
34 Second Avenue
Brentwood, New York 11717

Summary of Case

Edgewood was originally granted a Certificate by the Commission pursuant to an Order issued December 17, 2001 and confirmed by Order issued December 19, 2001. Though the facility was capable, as-built, of a net generating output of 95 megawatts (MW), Edgewood sought and received a Certificate that restricted the Brentwood facility's maximum electric generating output to 79.9 MW. The Commission's December 2001 and March 28, 2002 orders granting the Certificate and providing for lightened regulation, as well as its Order Establishing Lead Agency and determining significance of proposed action, may also be viewed by going to the Commission’s Web site (click on "Search" and then search using case number "01-E-1635").

Edgewood now requests that the limitation be removed, thereby allowing it to produce an additional 15.1 MW.  Edgewood asserts that the amendment is in the public interest because the additional 15.1 MW would be available to respond to Long Island's additional capacity and energy needs, as described in Long Island Power Authority's Energy Plans and multiple requests for proposals for additional capacity and energy issued during the past decade. Edgewood adds that removing the limitation will allow for more efficient facility operations. It also states that no facility modifications would be required because only the software needs to be modified to increase the facility's output to reflect its net-to grid rated capacity of 95 MW. Additional details are reflected in the petition, which is available on the Commission's Web site (go to www.dps.ny.gov, click on "Search" and then search using case number "12-E-0166").

On July 16, 2012, the Commission assumed lead agency status concerning this action and found that the proposed increase in output would not result in a significant adverse environmental impact. 

The Commission may approve, approve with changes, or reject Edgewood's petition in whole or in part.

How to Comment on the Case

For those who cannot attend or prefer not to speak at a public statement hearing, there are several other ways to provide comments about this case to the Commission. Comments should refer to
 "Case 12-E-0166 - Edgewood Energy, LLC."

Submit comments electronically: Go to the Web site (www.dps.ny.gov), click on "Search", search using case number "12-E-0166", and then click on “Post Comments” at the top of the page. Alternately, e-mail comments may be sent directly to the Secretary to the Commission at [email protected].

Mail or Delivery:  Comments may be mailed or delivered to Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.

Call the Department’s Toll-Free Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This number is designed to take comments about pending cases from in-state callers, 24 hours a day.  Callers should press “1” to leave comments.

Comments submitted via these alternate means are requested by August 24, 2012. Comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission. Written comments may be accessed on the Web site by searching Case 12-E-0166. Many libraries offer free Internet access.

Next Steps

A verbatim transcript of the public statement hearings will be made for inclusion in the record of these proceedings.

For more information, or a copy of the fact sheet for this case click here.