New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG or the Company) has filed a petition with the New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) to amend its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (Certificate).  The Company currently holds a natural gas franchise from the Village of Cobleskill in Schoharie County that would allow it to serve all properties within the Village.  Its current Certificate, however, only authorizes the Company to provide gas service to some of the properties within the Village.  If the petition is granted, the Certificate would be modified to permit the Company to provide gas service to all parts of the Village.  NYSEG is seeking this Certificate amendment to accommodate an extension of service to several new natural gas customers associated with a downtown project within the Village.

Informational Forum and Public Statement Hearing

The Commission is seeking public comment on NYSEG’s petition to exercise the natural gas franchise granted by the Village of Cobleskill.  Interested members of the public are invited to attend the hearing and provide comments before an Administrative Law Judge.  The hearing will be preceded by an informational forum, in which Staff from the Department of Public Service (DPS) will provide an overview of the Public Service Law certification process and NYSEG will provide a summary of the petition.  These presentations will be followed by an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions about the proposal.

It is not necessary to be present at the start of the hearing, or make an appointment in advance, or present written material in order to speak at the hearing.  All comments given at the hearing will be transcribed and become part of the Commission's formal record.  The hearing will adjourn no earlier than 8:00 p.m. and will remain open until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements have been made. 

Please join us at the following location:

Disabled persons requiring special accommodations may place a collect call to the DPS's Human Resources Management Office at 518-474-2520.  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 Office at the previously mentioned number.  If you have difficulty understanding English, please call DPS at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services.

Case Background

In 1996, the Commission granted NYSEG a Certificate under Public Service Law §68.  The Certificate authorized the Company to exercise in part the gas franchise previously awarded to it by the Village of Cobleskill (and, in part, the gas franchises awarded to NYSEG in two adjacent towns).  Subsequent amendments to the Certificate were approved which allowed NYSEG to expand the area in the Village of Cobleskill where it was authorized to serve.  At present, however, the Company still lacks authority to serve customers in some parts of the Village.

On April 20, 2015, NYSEG filed a petition with the Commission requesting an amendment to the Certificate that would authorize the Company to fully exercise the franchise and to provide gas service to all parts of the Village.  In part, NYSEG seeks a prompt approval of its petition so as to facilitate the timely construction of a downtown project within the Village of Cobleskill.  As part of this project, NYSEG will provide service to several new customers by connecting to an existing 2” gas main on the north side of the South Grand Street and Main Street intersection.  The new gas main will provide gas to the Bulls Head Inn, and several businesses and residential customers along Main Street and Park Place.  During the summer of 2015, the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) will be performing construction to widen major roads in the Village.  NYSEG proposes to coordinate with DOT’s road-widening project in order to install the new gas piping into disturbed ground.   

Additional details are set forth in the petition which is available on the Commission’s website at www.dps.ny.gov.  To access information on the petition regarding the Village of Cobleskill, click on “Search” and then enter case number “15-G-0235”.  The Commission may approve, approve with changes, or reject NYSEG’s petition in whole or in part.

Methods for Commenting on the Case

All comments can be submitted at the public statement hearing held on June 10, 2015 or through the methods below:

• Via the Internet or In Writing:  Submit comments electronically to Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, at [email protected] or by mail or delivery to Secretary Burgess at the Department of Public Service, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.  Comments may also be entered directly into the case by locating the case via the home page of the Commission’s website, www.dps.ny.gov, by clicking on “Search,” and entering 15-G-0235 in the “Search by Case Number” field.  After clicking to open the case, enter comments in the “Post Comments” section located at the top of the page.
   
• Toll-Free Opinion Line:  Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the Commission’s toll-free Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24-hours a day.  Callers should press “1” to leave comments about “Case 15-G-0235 NYSEG Gas Franchise for Village of Cobleskill”.

Comments submitted via these alternative means will be accepted at any point while this proceeding is pending, but are requested by June 24, 2015 to ensure full consideration.  All comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission.

For a printable copy of the fact sheet, please click here.