Pens letter re-affirming that utility’s secrecy threatens the safety of Long Island
(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Dean Murray (R,C,I-East Patchogue) today announced he has sent a letter to Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary to the New York State Public Service Commission, urging the Commission to make PSEG-LI’s report examining the condition of Long Island’s existing electric generation fleet. The lack of public information about the vulnerabilities of on-island power plants, including their exposure to storm surges, raises serious concerns about the resiliency of our power system and the utility’s secrecy erodes confidence in the Integrated Resource Plan process.
The full text of the letter follows:
July 23, 2015
Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess
Secretary to the Commission
New York State Public Service Commission
Empire State Plaza
Agency Building 3
Albany, NY 12223
Re: PSEG-LI Request for Confidentiality
Dear Secretary Burgess:
I am writing you regarding PSEG Long Island’s (PSEG-LI) April 2, 2015 request for confidentiality to conceal from the public the reports it commissioned examining the condition of the existing on-island electric generation fleet. PSEG-LI contends that these reports, which were prepared by RCM Technologies, contain trade secrets that, if disclosed, would damage their competitive position in the marketplace. I find that claim to be particularly ironic considering that it seems that PSEG-LI is doing everything in its power to ensure that there is no competition in this marketplace. In light of concerns about Long Island’s energy security and recent developments indicating that PSEG-LI has not acted in the best interests of ratepayers, I strongly urge you to make these reports publicly available. The public deserves to know the state of the island’s electric capacity and I am alarmed that PSEG-LI would seek to hide this information.
Despite Hurricane Sandy severely compromising Long Island’s energy infrastructure security, there remains a glaring lack of public information about the vulnerabilities of the current power plants. The resiliency of Long Island’s facilities on the coast is at stake. These facilities – many of which have been in operation for decades – pose risks due to their proximity to the coastline, and we are not adequately prepared to respond to such threats. Both the New York Attorney General and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority have highlighted this specific problem. By withholding information that could shed light on our vulnerabilities and help address electric infrastructure resiliency and security issues, PSEG-LI does a disservice to its customers and New York as a whole.
Additionally, if PSEG-LI is committed to an “open and collaborative” process to legitimize its Integrated Resource Plan, then why the need for secrecy? Without fully understanding the current condition of Long Island’s existing fleet, key stakeholders and my constituents cannot provide sufficient input in this important process. The information contained in these reports is crucial to our understanding of this issue and should therefore be released. Until then, the public’s confidence that this process is credible will continue to erode.
Thank you for your attention to this matter as we work towards a securer energy future for Long Island. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Dean Murray
Member of Assembly
3rd District
Cc: The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor
