In a Major Victory for Cities and Consumers, New York Follows Massachusetts, California and others and Greenlights State's First Community Choice Aggregation Program

WESTCHESTER, N.Y., March 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In a pivotal decision last week, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) voted yes on a proposal submitted by a consortium of Westchester County governments, Sustainable Westchester, to usher in the state's first community choice aggregation (CCA) program. On Tuesday, March 10, more than 30 mayors from New York will join Sustainable Westchester in a webinar that will introduce the new program and its benefits to energy consumers. Please visit: "Navigating the Community Choice Aggregation Process, from Idea to Delivery" to join the conversation.

Since their inception in Massachusetts in 1997, CCA programs have seen rapid adoption in communities across the nation including California, Illinois and Ohio as consumers seek an alternative choice to the single power provider lock utilities have had on cities and residents. Simply put, CCA turns the power equation on its face: the community becomes the default power supplier, rather than the utility. The model allows utilities to focus on what they do best: ensure that poles and wires are maintained, and that electricity flows reliably. Communities then focus on what they do best: providing real value for residents and small businesses.

Sustainable Westchester's CCA program will begin in Westchester County. The organization's Co-chair, Mike Gordon, has offered to work closely with mayors and municipalities outside of Westchester County, to create like programs in more than 50 cities, including Rochester, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton, Ithaca Schenectady, Utica, Hempstead, Niagara Falls, Troy, and Freeport.

As one the first programs to execute on Governor Cuomo's strategic Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) plan, which aims to engender a clean energy future, by promoting investment in clean technologies and innovation and improving customer choice, the Westchester County pilot permits more than 800,000 county residents with more than 85% of all of Westchester municipalities to participate.

Gordon was recently elected Co-Chair of Sustainable Westchester and has played an instrumental role in creating the Community Choice Aggregation program. A globally recognized industry veteran and authority on the energy management sector, Gordon pioneered the inauguration of Energy Reduction Asset markets and has been an architect of new financing solutions for the energy efficiency marketplace, serving as counsel to U.S. and European governmental bodies and regulators including FERC, The European Commission and The United Nations' Conference of Parties on Climate Change.

"Last year New York, under Governor Cuomo's guidance, was the first state in the nation to take huge strides to encourage energy efficient buildings. Now with this grant by the Public Service Commission, New York, by way of Westchester, will again become a model for communities around the nation," said Mike Gordon, Co-Chair of Sustainable Westchester and CEO of Joule Assets. "This decision paves the way for customer choice and for substantial security against potential energy hikes."

About Sustainable Westchester:
Sustainable Westchester is a membership organization with more than 85% of all Westchester municipalities participating, representing 800,000 county residents. The action group is designed to turn environmental challenges into opportunities to improve the quality of life, economy and future prospects of county citizens. For more information visit: www.sustainablewestchester.org.

Media Contact:

Lauren Burke

(415) 529-5740

Email

SOURCE Sustainable Westchester

Related Links

http://www.sustainablewestchester.org

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