Six Investor-Owned Utilities Join Solar Companies in Landmark Proposal on Long-term Solar Growth in New York
Six New York investor-owned utilities have joined SolarCity Corporation and other solar companies in the creation of the Solar Progress Partnership. The group yesterday filed a joint proposal with the New York Public Service Commission for the long-term growth of distributed solar and other distributed resources to benefit New York ratepayers.
The Solar Progress Partnership came together in recognition of the value of collaboration to better enact future grid policies. The Partnership includes Advanced Energy Economy as well as all New York investor-owned utilities: Con Edison, Orange & Rockland, Central Hudson, National Grid, Rochester Gas & Electric and New York State Electric & Gas (the latter two participating as Avangrid).
“We’re working together to keep our state’s solar industry vibrant while enabling us to maintain the robust power grid that solar energy requires, and in a way that is fair to all customers,” said John McAvoy, the chairman and CEO of Con Edison. “Utilities and solar companies have found common ground to enhance our environment, the economy and electric reliability.”
“The deep institutional knowledge of these six utilities, and the creative approach they are taking to the evolution of electricity, is inspiring,” said SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive. “Leaders like these will lay the foundation for the grid of the future.”
The Partnership’s initial proposal includes alignment on community and residential solar policy. It recognizes the value of distributed resources on the grid and builds on the New York Public Service Commission’s white paper on the future development of distributed resources.
The Partnership also demonstrates SolarCity’s openness and desire to work with utilities in other states to develop forward-looking policies that benefit ratepayers and support a more efficient and affordable grid.
The Solar Progress Partnership was enabled and inspired by the success of New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy, which encourages collaboration and innovative industry solutions.
