Bill Text: NY S01536 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs the New York state energy research and development authority to conduct a study of the technical and economic feasibility and ratepayer impact of a zero-emission electrical system and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-10 - REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS [S01536 Detail]
Download: New_York-2025-S01536-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1536 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 10, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. PARKER, COMRIE, FERNANDEZ, HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to directing the New York state energy research and development authority to conduct a study of the technical and economic feasibility and ratepayer impact of a zero-emission electrical system and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new 2 section 1885 to read as follows: 3 § 1885. Supplemental study on the technical and economic feasibility 4 of a one hundred percent renewable energy system and a reduction in 5 greenhouse gas emissions. 1. On or before January first, two thousand 6 twenty-seven, and every four years thereafter, the authority, in consul- 7 tation and coordination with the department of public service and the 8 department of environmental conservation, and the federally designated 9 electric bulk system operator, shall publish and update a comprehensive 10 study to determine the technical and economic feasibility and ratepayer 11 impact of meeting the following goals: 12 (a) having the statewide electrical demand system be zero-emissions by 13 the year two thousand forty pursuant to section sixty-six-p of the 14 public service law and one hundred percent of the electricity consumed 15 in the state generated by renewable energy resources by the year two 16 thousand thirty-four, and, alternatively, the year two thousand fifty- 17 four. 18 (b) reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by a percentage of 19 nineteen hundred ninety emissions from greenhouse gas emission sources, 20 pursuant to chapter one hundred six of the laws of two thousand nine- 21 teen, as follows: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04067-01-5S. 1536 2 1 (i) by two thousand thirty: sixty percent of nineteen hundred ninety 2 emissions; and 3 (ii) by two thousand fifty: fifteen percent of nineteen hundred ninety 4 emissions. 5 2. Such study shall include, at a minimum, an assessment of each of 6 the following: 7 (a) the timing, costs, economic impacts, ratepayer impacts and feasi- 8 bility associated with pathways to meet these goals pursuant to the 9 final scoping plan adopted by the New York state climate action council 10 pursuant to chapter one hundred six of the laws of two thousand nine- 11 teen. In terms of the evaluation of costs, the study shall: 12 (i) evaluate, using the best available economic models, emission esti- 13 mation techniques and other scientific methods, the total potential 14 costs and potential economic and non-economic benefits of meeting these 15 goals; and 16 (ii) evaluate the economic impact of meeting the goals on the state's 17 businesses, jobs, ratepayers and residents assuming: 18 (A) the renewable and greenhouse gas emissions goals of other states 19 and regions in the United States are at least fifty percent lower than 20 New York state's goals; 21 (B) the renewable and greenhouse gas emissions goals of other states 22 and regions in the United States are as those in place as of the date of 23 the study; 24 (C) the existence of technology in place as of the date of the study. 25 (b) the technical and cost impact on maintaining electric system reli- 26 ability, including but not limited to, the need for and type of back-up 27 power supplies and of energy storage systems and of zero-emission 28 dispatchable resources to maintain electric system reliability. 29 (c) the short-term and long-term actions to feasibly meet the goals 30 across all economic sectors, including industry, transportation, agri- 31 culture, building construction and energy production, including: 32 (i) an analysis of the anticipated emission reductions, and the 33 economic implications and ratepayer impact thereof, as a result of each 34 action. 35 (ii) identification of the anticipated life-cycle implications, conse- 36 quences, benefits and costs of implementing each action, including 37 implications, consequences, benefits and costs to New York state, local 38 governments, businesses, ratepayers and residents from implementation of 39 each action. 40 (iii) detailed analysis to estimate the annual and total cost impact 41 on electric and natural gas bills for all customer sectors across the 42 state, including, but not limited to, residential, small and large busi- 43 ness customers, associated with the implementation of the adopted scop- 44 ing plan, along with a range of costs, based upon the selection of vari- 45 ous potential decarbonization pathways, to minimize costs and to 46 maximize the total benefits to New York state. 47 (iv) specific cost study scenarios that show residential, commercial, 48 industrial, and institutional energy consumers', along with local 49 governments, increased costs, not only on the electric system, but also 50 on the gas system. 51 (A) The analysis shall specify consumers' costs of installing or 52 accessing renewable energy and energy storage, replacing their heating 53 systems, upgrading their electric service, purchasing electric cars, and 54 charging them. 55 (B) The analysis shall detail how consumers will pay for these meas- 56 ures, assess whether the adopted scoping plan includes sufficient meas-S. 1536 3 1 ures to avoid or reduce upfront costs on consumers, and recommend addi- 2 tional affordability measures. 3 (d) estimated timelines for considering and implementing such actions. 4 (e) exploration of various renewable technology, energy storage, zero- 5 emission dispatchable resources and energy efficiency deployment scenar- 6 ios. 7 (f) a requirement for any new vehicles sold in the state to be powered 8 by electricity generated by renewable energy resources or otherwise to 9 be free of emissions. 10 (g) proposals for new structures constructed in the state to be net 11 zero-emission structures. 12 (h) transition to renewable heating and cooling provided by heat pumps 13 powered by renewable energy resources or other means resulting in net 14 zero emissions. 15 (i) the economic and social benefits of greenhouse gas emissions 16 reductions, taking into account the federal social cost of carbon, any 17 other tools that the authority deems useful and pertinent for this anal- 18 ysis, and any environmental, economic and public health co-benefits 19 (such as the reduction of co-pollutants and the diversification of ener- 20 gy sources), and avoiding, lowering, minimizing, offsetting, or mitigat- 21 ing, to the maximum extent practicable using verifiable measures, any 22 significant increase of the existing disproportionate pollution burden 23 on a disadvantaged community, pursuant to subdivision three of section 24 seven of chapter one hundred six of the laws of two thousand nineteen, 25 provided that the term "pollution" shall have the same meaning as 26 defined in subdivision nineteen of section 1-0303 of the environmental 27 conservation law. 28 3. Such study shall build upon relevant expertise already at the 29 authority's disposal. 30 4. The authority may contract with an independent and competitively 31 selected contractor to undertake such study. 32 5. The authority, and any contractors it may retain for such purposes, 33 shall consult with entities that have resources and expertise to assist 34 in such study, including, but not limited to, academic partners, elec- 35 tric corporations, gas corporations, electricity generating companies, 36 trade organizations, environmental justice groups, labor unions and 37 other stakeholders. 38 6. The authority shall prepare a report on such study's findings. The 39 authority shall transmit such report along with the study to the gover- 40 nor, the speaker of the assembly, the temporary president of the senate, 41 the chair of the assembly energy committee, and the chair of the senate 42 energy and telecommunications committee no later than thirty days after 43 the study's completion. 44 7. The Long Island power authority and the power authority of the 45 state of New York are authorized, as deemed feasible and advisable by 46 their respective boards, to make a voluntary contribution toward the 47 study. 48 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
