LIPA Provides Green Choice Incentives for Municipalities
Southampton, N.Y. – December 7, 2006 – Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)
Chairman Richard M. Kessel today announced a program to provide an incentive to
Long Island municipalities that participate in its Green Choice program. LIPA’s
Green Choice program is designed to promote the development and use of renewable
energy technologies within New York State and was modeled on the State’s
program.
Municipalities participating in LIPA’s Green Choice program, plus those
considering enrolling, are making contractual commitments for large amounts of
Green Choice attributes. Since municipalities serve a taxpaying constituent
base, LIPA has structured the incentive as a way to lessen the financial outlay
that must eventually be absorbed in municipal budgets and paid for by taxpayers.
Residential customers, on the other hand, do not have to enter into contracts,
and can either elect to participate in the Green Choice program directly or can
consider themselves as supporters of the Green Choice concept since their local
municipality is a program participant.
“We’re seeking to provide an equitable way of lowering the financial burden
carried by those municipalities that participate in the Green Choice program on
a long-term contractual basis with Energy Supply Companies (ESCOs) while helping
to stimulate the development of renewable energy technologies that will lessen
Long Island’s and New York state’s dependence on fossil fuel-generated
electricity,” said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel.
“The Green Choice incentive is a welcome adjustment to a very valuable
program,” Southampton Town Supervisor Patrick Heaney. “The Town of Southampton
has long supported renewable energy programs and I commend Mr. Kessel for moving
ahead with this newest incentive initiative.”
“The more financially attractive LIPA makes its Green Choice Program, the
more relevant reusable energy will be in Long Island’s future. This is a step
forward,” said Supervisor Philip Cardinale, Town of Riverhead.
LIPA’s municipal incentive will provide up to 1 cent per kilowatt hour for
50% of the actual Green Attributes payments, up to a maximum of $30,000 to
participating municipalities. The incentive is designed to reward municipalities
that are currently participating in the program and attract new participants. A
total of $300,000 has been set aside annually for the program for a three-year
period and the incentives will be retroactive to January 2006.
Mr. Kessel said that LIPA would develop a Green Choice incentive program for
residential customers, and would present a plan to the LIPA Board in early 2007. |
