RESA Says Premature To Comment on LIPA Retail Choice Issues Prior To Clarity on NY Full Stop Order

The Retail Energy Supply Association asked the New York PSC to extend the deadline for comments on issues related to retail electric choice at the Long Island Power Authority, stating that it would be premature to address the issues prior to clarity under the PSC's broader "full stop" retail market order

As first reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, the PSC has opened a review of electric choice on Long Island, and requested comment on a variety of issues by April 1.

RESA noted that the request for comments concerning LIPA was issued prior to the issuance of the full stop order, and contemplated analysis of the retail access market and its applicability to Long Island based on the market structure as it existed as of December 31, 2015.

"With the issuance of the [full stop] Order it is clear that the potential structure of the statewide retail access market and the rules governing how ESCOs provide service may in the near future undergo a complete restructuring and create an entirely different retail market. Therefore, consideration of the application of retail access principles and practices and their applicability to Long Island, require a complete and accurate assessment of the 'restructuring' outlined in the Order which has yet to be fully resolved," RESA said.

"It would thus be premature to initiate the comment phase concerning the Long Island electric market without first understanding to what level and degree the restructuring contemplated in the Order achieves fruition or is actually implemented. It would therefore be prudent and efficient to allow for a reasonable extension of the comment due date to allow parties to assimilate the final standards and practices codified in the Order that are actually adopted and implemented," RESA said

RESA requested that the due date for initial comments on Long Island electric choice be extended until the later of June 1, 2016 or thirty days following the final resolution of the matters raised in the full stop order.

Matter 15-02754