[January 09, 2013]

New York State Smart Grid Consortium Commends Gov. Cuomo's Leadership on Energy Issues in a Post-Sandy New York

The New York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC), a public-private partnership devoted to statewide implementation of the smart grid, today praised the leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo for his vision on energy issues and foresight in recognizing the importance and urgency in upgrading New York's electric grid with the best available technology. NYSSGC Chairman Robert B. Catell was in attendance this afternoon for the Governor's State of the State speech in Albany.

"We applaud Governor Cuomo's bold energy initiatives as outlined in his State of the State, in particular his vision for a new Energy Czar, his ambitious plans for a nation-leading electric vehicle infrastructure and his call to strengthen New York's energy infrastructure," said Catell. "The leadership of the Governor and his new Energy Czar, Richard Kauffman, will be essential in developing a coherent pathway to efficiently and effectively build a 21st century smart electric grid from which all New Yorkers can reap the benefits."

As New York continues to recover from Sandy, the state is poised to implement a smart grid energy infrastructure that will include a more efficient transmission and distribution system and the integration of renewable energy sources. A smart grid will also support innovative deployment of an electric vehicle (EV) transportation infrastructure and additional mechanisms for greater certainty for the solar market. Along with increased reliability through the incorporation of these innovative technologies, a modernized electric grid will bring tangible benefits to consumers through controls and options on how they use energy, as well as ultimately reduce energy costs long-term.

"As shown by the devastating consequences of Hurricane Sandy, we need a grid that is more resilient, with improved ability to quickly diagnose problems and deploy automatic systems that can make real time adjustments by re-routing distribution networks and better coordinating generating assets," added Catell. "Modernizing our electrical grid is a complicated challenge involving different stakeholders, ranging from electric utilities and regulators, to emerging technology companies and individual rate payers. As a Consortium of several key stakeholders, we are prepared to support the Governor's vision as the benefits of smart grid investment will not only help us be better prepared for future storms, but will also reduce energy costs and give more control to the consumer."

About the New York State Smart Grid Consortium

New York is home to a world-class leading effort designed to establish a pathway towards lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of our Grid. The New York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC) brings together the world's leading utilities, technology providers, policy makers and research institutions to identify opportunities that show the most promise for broader smart grid technology deployment. The Consortium provides the perfect convening point to develop, test and eventually implement the best solutions and a way to work with policy makers to identify needed regulatory developments. In addition to serving as an advocate for the best technology and policies, the Consortium serves as a resource and collection of experts when it comes to the future of New York State's grid. Incorporated on July 22, 2009, the Consortium is a not-for-profit 501(c) 6 corporation - for more information, please visit www.nyssmartgrid.com.

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