Senate Bill S9608B

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Directs utility corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of electric grid utilization metrics

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 01, 2026	print number 9608b
Jun 01, 2026	amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
May 29, 2026	print number 9608a
May 29, 2026	amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
Mar 30, 2026	referred to energy and telecommunications

Bill Amendments

Original

B (Active)

co-Sponsors

2025-S9608 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §4-c, Pub Serv L

2025-S9608 - Summary

Directs utility corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of electric grid utilization metrics; directs the public service commission to determine which electric grid utilization metrics shall be approved and how such metrics shall be applied; directs the public service commission to submit an annual report to the legislature and governor.

2025-S9608 - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9608

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to directing utility
corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of
electric grid utilization metrics

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to improve electricity affordability by
leveraging untapped grid capacity through better use of the existing
electric distribution and transmission infrastructure currently used to
deliver power in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The bill adds a new section 4-c to the public service law to:

* Require utilities to propose grid utilization metrics by October 15,
2026 through a petitioning process using industry standard metrics;

* Establish Public Service Commission (PSC) review and approval process
and to establish a timeline governing utilities' increased electric grid
utilization in accordance with the metrics;

* Require annual reporting by the PSC to the Legislature on utilities'
performance against grid utilization metrics on an ongoing basis; and

* Direct evaluation of non-wire alternatives, including but not limited
to energy storage resources and other technologies that could relieve
localized constraints, improve utilization of existing infrastructure
and grid performance, and defer or reduce the need for new poles and
wires.

The bill does not mandate specific infrastructure investments or
resource choices. Instead, it establishes a measurement and accountabil-
ity framework that allows the PSC to more rigorously assess whether
existing grid assets are being used efficiently before approving new
capital expenditures, and for how grid utilization should factor into
long-term utility infrastructure planning. By doing so, the bill lays
the groundwork for improved ratepayer affordability, better system plan-
ning, and greater transparency in future regulatory decisions.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

With increasing pressure on the power sector to deliver electricity to
the grid and rising energy costs impacting New York ratepayers, improv-
ing grid utilization monitoring and efficiency offers a way to better
leverage untapped grid capacity to meet power demands and lower the New
York's energy costs. The first step to identifying this potential is to
measure how effectively existing electric distribution and transmission
infrastructure are used to deliver power today. This legislation sets
that foundation by establishing metrics by which New York can measure
and begin to influence the value its ratepayers receive from the grid.
Utility regulation targeted to increase utilization can directly reduce
rates and defer the need for new, capital intensive infrastructure,

thereby lowering long-telin costs and increasing realized value to rate-
payers.

To begin capturing these benefits, this bill establishes consistent,
transparent metrics for measuring grid utilization, and leverages exist-
ing regulatory processes through which the Public Service Commission can
evaluate those metrics and integrate them into future planning, cost-re-
covery, and investment decisions.

At the time of intro, both houses of the Virginia legislature have
received national attention from energy experts for passing a bill simi-
lar to this, establishing a positive way to bring down needed infras-
tructure investment with a modernized approach to boosting grid capacity
with minimal needed dollar investment.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately

2025-S9608 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9608
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 30, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on  Energy  and  Telecommuni-
   cations
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to directing utility
   corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of
   electric grid utilization metrics

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a  new  section
 4-c to read as follows:
   §  4-C.  UTILITY CORPORATION UTILIZATION METRICS. 1. (A) NO LATER THAN
 OCTOBER FIFTEENTH, TWO THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX,  EACH  UTILITY  CORPORATION
 SHALL  PETITION THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL OF ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION
 METRICS. SUCH PETITION SHALL INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW OF ELECTRIC GRID UTILI-
 ZATION METRICS, INCLUDING INDUSTRY STANDARD METRICS. EACH UTILITY CORPO-
 RATION SHALL INCLUDE IN SUCH PETITION AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT  ELECTRIC
 DISTRIBUTION  AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AS COMPARED WITH OPTI-
 MAL UTILIZATION OF EXISTING ELECTRIC GRID ASSETS, INCLUDING ANY INFORMA-
 TION NECESSARY  FOR  THE  COMMISSION  TO  EVALUATE  THE  EFFICIENCY  AND
 PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM INFRASTRUC-
 TURE OWNED AND OPERATED BY EACH SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION.
   (B) ANY ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS PROPOSED BY A UTILITY CORPO-
 RATION  UNDER  PARAGRAPH  (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL INCLUDE: (I) THE
 RATIO OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM PEAK LOAD TO  TOTAL  DISTRIBUTION  ELECTRIC
 GRID  CAPACITY;  (II)  THE  RATIO  OF CURRENT ELECTRIC LOAD DELIVERED TO
 TOTAL POTENTIAL DELIVERABLE ELECTRIC LOAD OVER THE DISTRIBUTION  SYSTEM;
 (III)  THE  PERCENTAGE  OF KILOWATT-HOURS OF ELECTRICITY LOST DURING THE
 DISTRIBUTION PROCESS OR BY THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM; (IV) AN ANALYSIS  OF
 CONSTRAINED  CIRCUITS  ON THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM; AND (V) AN EVALUATION
 OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AT SYSTEM PEAKS.
   (C) (I) IN EVALUATING  PETITIONS  MADE  UNDER  THIS  SUBDIVISION,  THE
 COMMISSION SHALL DETERMINE WHICH ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS SHALL
 BE  APPROVED,  HOW  SUCH METRICS MAY BE REASONABLY APPLIED AT THE FEEDER
 AND SUBSTATION LEVEL, AND HOW SUCH METRICS MAY  BE  REPORTED  IN  FUTURE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD15374-01-6
 S. 9608                             2

 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN FILINGS, AND SHALL INCLUDE, AS DEEMED APPROPRI-
 ATE  BY  THE COMMISSION, A REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT SEASONAL ASSESSMENTS OF
 ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION  AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  SUCH  ELECTRIC  GRID
 UTILIZATION METRICS.
   (II)  IN  APPROVING  ANY  ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS UNDER THIS
 PARAGRAPH, THE COMMISSION SHALL INCLUDE, AS APPROPRIATE: (1) A  TIMELINE
 FOR  EACH  UTILITY  CORPORATION TO INCREASE ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION IN
 ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROVED METRICS; AND (2) A DESCRIPTION OF THE  WAYS
 IN  WHICH  SUCH  METRICS  MAY  INFORM  THE COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION OF
 FUTURE UTILITY REQUESTS  FOR  APPROVAL  OF  COST  RECOVERY  FOR  CAPITAL
 INVESTMENTS.
   (III)  IN  SUBSEQUENT  INTEGRATED  RESOURCE PLAN FILINGS, EACH UTILITY
 SHALL INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT SYSTEM  PERFORMANCE  RELATIVE  TO
 EACH  PROPOSED  METRIC  AND  MAY  PROPOSE  NEW OR MODIFIED ELECTRIC GRID
 UTILIZATION METRICS FOR COMMISSION APPROVAL.
   2. (A) THE COMMISSION SHALL PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO  THE  LEGISLA-
 TURE  AND THE GOVERNOR ON EACH UTILITY CORPORATION'S ASSESSMENT OF RELE-
 VANT GRID UTILIZATION METRICS AND PERFORMANCE AGAINST SUCH METRICS RELA-
 TIVE TO  THE  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THIS  SECTION,  INCLUDING  THE  TIMELINE
 ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION FOR EACH SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION.
   (B)  IN  THE REPORT SUBMITTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
 THE COMMISSION SHALL ALSO ANALYZE THE POTENTIAL FOR EACH UTILITY  CORPO-
 RATION  TO  INCREASE ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT OF
 NON-WIRES ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING: (I) ENERGY  STORAGE  RESOURCES;  (II)
 CUSTOMER-OWNED  OR  CUSTOMER-FINANCED  CAPACITY RESOURCES; (III) UTILITY
 CORPORATION-OWNED OR UTILITY CORPORATION-CONTRACTED  DISTRIBUTED  GENER-
 ATION  RESOURCES;  (IV)  VIRTUAL POWER PLANTS; (V) FLEXIBLE TRANSMISSION
 AND  TRANSMISSION  STATIC  SYNCHRONOUS  COMPENSATORS;  (VI)  SYNCHRONOUS
 CONDENSERS;  AND  (VII)  POWER QUALITY MONITORING EQUIPMENT INSTALLED AT
 THE POINT OF INTERCONNECTION  FOR  ALL  CUSTOMERS  WITH  A  MEASURED  OR
 CONTRACTED DEMAND OF TWENTY-FIVE MEGAWATTS OR GREATER.
   (C) IN CONDUCTING AN ANALYSIS UNDER PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
 THE  COMMISSION  MAY REQUEST ANY INFORMATION NECESSARY FROM EACH UTILITY
 CORPORATION TO PROPERLY EVALUATE SUCH UTILITY  CORPORATION'S  DEPLOYMENT
 OF  NON-WIRES  ALTERNATIVES  OR  OTHER  METHODS TO IMPROVE ELECTRIC GRID
 UTILIZATION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

co-Sponsors

2025-S9608A - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §4-c, Pub Serv L

2025-S9608A - Summary

2025-S9608A - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9608A

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to directing utility
corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of
electric grid utilization metrics

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to improve electricity affordability by
leveraging untapped grid capacity through better use of the existing
electric distribution and transmission infrastructure currently used to
deliver power in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The bill adds a new section 4-c to the public service law to:

* Require utilities to propose grid utilization metrics by October 15,
2026 through a petitioning process using industry standard metrics;

*Establish Public Service Commission (PSC) review and approval process
and to establish a timeline governing utilities' increased electric grid
utilization in accordance with the metrics;

*Require annual reporting by the PSC to the Legislature on utilities'
performance against grid utilization metrics on an ongoing basis; and

*Direct evaluation of non-wire alternatives, including but not limited
to energy storage resources and other technologies that could relieve
localized constraints, improve utilization of existing infrastructure
and grid performance, and defer or reduce the need for new poles and
wires.

The bill does not mandate specific infrastructure investments or
resource choices. Instead, it establishes a measurement and accountabil-
ity framework that allows the PSC to more rigorously assess whether
existing grid assets are being used efficiently before approving new
capital expenditures, and for how grid utilization should factor into
long-term utility infrastructure planning. By doing so, the bill lays
the groundwork for improved ratepayer affordability, better system plan-
ning, and greater transparency in future regulatory decisions.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

With increasing pressure on the power sector to deliver electricity to
the grid and rising energy costs impacting New York ratepayers, improv-
ing grid utilization monitoring and efficiency offers a way to better
leverage untapped grid capacity to meet power demands and lower the New
York's energy costs. The first step to identifying this potential is to
measure how effectively existing electric distribution and transmission
infrastructure are used to deliver power today. This legislation sets
that foundation by establishing metrics by which New York can measure
and begin to influence the value its ratepayers receive from the grid.
Utility regulation targeted to increase utilization can directly reduce
rates and defer the need for new, capital intensive infrastructure,

thereby lowering long term costs and increasing realized value to rate-
payers.

To begin capturing these benefits, this bill establishes consistent,
transparent metrics for measuring grid utilization, and leverages exist-
ing regulatory processes through which the Public Service Commission can
evaluate those metrics and integrate them into future planning, cost-re-
covery, and investment decisions.

At the time of intro, both houses of the Virginia legislature have
received national attention from energy experts for passing a bill simi-
lar to this, establishing a positive way to bring down needed infras-
tructure investment with a modernized approach to boosting grid capacity
with minimal needed dollar investment.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately

2025-S9608A - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  9608--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 30, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  MAY, HARCKHAM, KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Energy
   and  Telecommunications -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to directing utility
   corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of
   electric grid utilization metrics
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The public service law is amended by adding a new section
 4-c to read as follows:
   § 4-C. UTILITY CORPORATION UTILIZATION METRICS. 1. (A) NO  LATER  THAN
 OCTOBER  FIFTEENTH,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX, EACH UTILITY CORPORATION
 SHALL PETITION THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL OF ELECTRIC GRID  UTILIZATION
 METRICS. SUCH PETITION SHALL INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW OF ELECTRIC GRID UTILI-
 ZATION METRICS, INCLUDING INDUSTRY STANDARD METRICS. EACH UTILITY CORPO-
 RATION  SHALL INCLUDE IN SUCH PETITION AN ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ELECTRIC
 DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AS COMPARED WITH  OPTI-
 MAL UTILIZATION OF EXISTING ELECTRIC GRID ASSETS, INCLUDING ANY INFORMA-
 TION  NECESSARY  FOR  THE  COMMISSION  TO  EVALUATE  THE  EFFICIENCY AND
 PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM INFRASTRUC-
 TURE OWNED AND OPERATED BY EACH SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION.
   (B) ANY ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS PROPOSED BY A UTILITY CORPO-
 RATION UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL  INCLUDE:  (I)  THE
 RATIO  OF  DISTRIBUTION  SYSTEM PEAK LOAD TO TOTAL DISTRIBUTION ELECTRIC
 GRID CAPACITY; (II) THE RATIO OF  CURRENT  ELECTRIC  LOAD  DELIVERED  TO
 TOTAL  POTENTIAL DELIVERABLE ELECTRIC LOAD OVER THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM;
 (III) THE PERCENTAGE OF KILOWATT-HOURS OF ELECTRICITY  LOST  DURING  THE
 DISTRIBUTION  PROCESS OR BY THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM; (IV) AN ANALYSIS OF
 CONSTRAINED CIRCUITS ON THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM; AND (V)  AN  EVALUATION
 OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AT SYSTEM PEAKS.
   (C)  (I)  IN  EVALUATING  PETITIONS  MADE  UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION, THE
 COMMISSION SHALL DETERMINE WHICH ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS SHALL
 BE APPROVED, HOW SUCH METRICS MAY BE REASONABLY APPLIED  AT  THE  FEEDER
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD15374-02-6
 S. 9608--A                          2

 AND  SUBSTATION  LEVEL,  AND  HOW SUCH METRICS MAY BE REPORTED IN FUTURE
 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN FILINGS, AND SHALL INCLUDE, AS DEEMED APPROPRI-
 ATE BY THE COMMISSION, A REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT SEASONAL  ASSESSMENTS  OF
 ELECTRIC  GRID  UTILIZATION  AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  SUCH ELECTRIC GRID
 UTILIZATION METRICS.
   (II) IN APPROVING ANY ELECTRIC GRID  UTILIZATION  METRICS  UNDER  THIS
 PARAGRAPH,  THE COMMISSION SHALL INCLUDE, AS APPROPRIATE: (1) A TIMELINE
 FOR EACH UTILITY CORPORATION TO INCREASE ELECTRIC  GRID  UTILIZATION  IN
 ACCORDANCE  WITH THE APPROVED METRICS; AND (2) A DESCRIPTION OF THE WAYS
 IN WHICH SUCH METRICS  MAY  INFORM  THE  COMMISSION'S  CONSIDERATION  OF
 FUTURE  UTILITY  REQUESTS  FOR  APPROVAL  OF  COST  RECOVERY FOR CAPITAL
 INVESTMENTS.
   (III) IN SUBSEQUENT INTEGRATED RESOURCE  PLAN  FILINGS,  EACH  UTILITY
 SHALL  INCLUDE  AN  ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT SYSTEM PERFORMANCE RELATIVE TO
 EACH PROPOSED METRIC AND MAY  PROPOSE  NEW  OR  MODIFIED  ELECTRIC  GRID
 UTILIZATION METRICS FOR COMMISSION APPROVAL.
   2.  (A)  THE COMMISSION SHALL PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLA-
 TURE AND THE GOVERNOR ON EACH UTILITY CORPORATION'S ASSESSMENT OF  RELE-
 VANT GRID UTILIZATION METRICS AND PERFORMANCE AGAINST SUCH METRICS RELA-
 TIVE  TO  THE  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THIS  SECTION,  INCLUDING  THE TIMELINE
 ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION FOR EACH SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION.
   (B) IN THE REPORT SUBMITTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION,
 THE  COMMISSION SHALL ALSO ANALYZE THE POTENTIAL FOR EACH UTILITY CORPO-
 RATION TO INCREASE ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION THROUGH THE  DEPLOYMENT  OF
 NON-WIRES ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING: (I) VIRTUAL POWER PLANTS; (II) FLEXI-
 BLE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSMISSION STATIC SYNCHRONOUS COMPENSATORS; (III)
 SYNCHRONOUS  CONDENSERS;  AND  (IV)  POWER  QUALITY MONITORING EQUIPMENT
 INSTALLED AT THE POINT OF INTERCONNECTION FOR ALL CUSTOMERS WITH A MEAS-
 URED OR CONTRACTED DEMAND OF TWENTY-FIVE MEGAWATTS OR GREATER.
   (C) IN CONDUCTING AN ANALYSIS UNDER PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
 THE COMMISSION MAY REQUEST ANY INFORMATION NECESSARY FROM  EACH  UTILITY
 CORPORATION  TO  PROPERLY EVALUATE SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION'S DEPLOYMENT
 OF NON-WIRES ALTERNATIVES OR OTHER  METHODS  TO  IMPROVE  ELECTRIC  GRID
 UTILIZATION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

co-Sponsors

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Energy And Telecommunications
Law Section:: Public Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §4-c, Pub Serv L

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9608B

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to directing utility
corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of
electric grid utilization metrics

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to improve electricity affordability by
leveraging untapped grid capacity through better use of the existing
electric distribution and transmission infrastructure currently used to
deliver power in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The bill adds a new section 4-c to the public service law to:

-Require utilities to propose grid utilization metrics by October 15,
2026 through a petitioning process using industry standard metrics;

-Establish Public Service Commission (PSC) review and approval process
and to establish a timeline governing utilities' increased electric grid
utilization in accordance with the metrics;

-Require annual reporting by the PSC to the Legislature on utilities'
performance against grid utilization metrics on an ongoing basis; and

-Direct evaluation of non-wire alternatives, including but not limited
to energy storage resources and other technologies that could relieve
localized constraints, improve utilization of existing infrastructure
and grid performance, and defer or reduce the need for new poles and
wires.

The bill does not mandate specific infrastructure investments or
resource choices. Instead, it establishes a measurement and accountabil-
ity framework that allows the PSC to more rigorously assess whether
existing grid assets are being used efficiently before approving new
capital expenditures, and for how grid utilization should factor into
long-term utility infrastructure planning. By doing so, the bill lays
the groundwork for improved ratepayer affordability, better system plan-
ning, and greater transparency in future regulatory decisions.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

With increasing pressure on the power sector to deliver electricity to
the grid and rising energy costs impacting New York ratepayers, improv-
ing grid utilization monitoring and efficiency offers a way to better
leverage untapped grid capacity to meet power demands and lower the New
York's energy costs. The first step to identifying this potential is to
measure how effectively existing electric distribution and transmission
infrastructure are used to deliver power today. This legislation sets
that foundation by establishing metrics by which New York can measure
and begin to influence the value its ratepayers receive from the grid.
Utility regulation targeted to increase utilization can directly reduce
rates and defer the need for new, capital intensive infrastructure,

thereby lowering long-term costs and increasing realized value to rate-
payers.

To begin capturing these benefits, this bill establishes consistent,
transparent metrics for measuring grid utilization, and leverages exist-
ing regulatory processes through which the Public Service Commission can
evaluate those metrics and integrate them into future planning, cost-re-
covery, and investment decisions.

At the time of intro, both houses of the Virginia legislature have
received national attention from energy experts for passing a bill simi-
lar to this, establishing a positive way to bring down needed infras-
tructure investment with a modernized approach to boosting grid capacity
with minimal needed dollar investment.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
90 days after enactment

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  9608--B
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 30, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  MAY, HARCKHAM, KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Energy
   and  Telecommunications -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said  committee  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to directing utility
   corporations to petition the public service commission for approval of
   electric grid utilization metrics
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a  new  section
 4-c to read as follows:
   §  4-C.  UTILITY CORPORATION UTILIZATION METRICS. 1. (A) NO LATER THAN
 ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS  SECTION,  EACH
 ELECTRIC OR COMBINATION ELECTRIC AND GAS UTILITY CORPORATION SHALL PETI-
 TION  THE  COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL OF ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS.
 SUCH PETITION SHALL INCLUDE AN OVERVIEW  OF  ELECTRIC  GRID  UTILIZATION
 METRICS,  INCLUDING  INDUSTRY STANDARD METRICS. EACH UTILITY CORPORATION
 SHALL INCLUDE  IN  SUCH  PETITION  AN  ASSESSMENT  OF  CURRENT  ELECTRIC
 DISTRIBUTION  AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AS COMPARED WITH OPTI-
 MAL UTILIZATION OF EXISTING ELECTRIC GRID ASSETS, INCLUDING ANY INFORMA-
 TION NECESSARY  FOR  THE  COMMISSION  TO  EVALUATE  THE  EFFICIENCY  AND
 PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEM INFRASTRUC-
 TURE  OWNED  AND OPERATED BY EACH SUCH ELECTRIC AND COMBINATION ELECTRIC
 AND GAS UTILITY CORPORATION.
   (B) ANY ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS PROPOSED BY A UTILITY CORPO-
 RATION UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL  INCLUDE:  (I)  THE
 RATIO  OF  DISTRIBUTION  SYSTEM PEAK LOAD TO TOTAL DISTRIBUTION ELECTRIC
 GRID CAPACITY; (II) THE RATIO OF  CURRENT  ELECTRIC  LOAD  DELIVERED  TO
 TOTAL  POTENTIAL DELIVERABLE ELECTRIC LOAD OVER THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM;
 (III) THE PERCENTAGE OF KILOWATT-HOURS OF ELECTRICITY  LOST  DURING  THE
 DISTRIBUTION  PROCESS OR BY THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM; (IV) AN ANALYSIS OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15374-04-6

 S. 9608--B                          2
 
 CONSTRAINED CIRCUITS ON THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM; AND (V)  AN  EVALUATION
 OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AT SYSTEM PEAKS.
   (C)  (I)  IN  EVALUATING  PETITIONS  MADE  UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION, THE
 COMMISSION SHALL DETERMINE WHICH ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS SHALL
 BE APPROVED, HOW SUCH METRICS MAY BE REASONABLY APPLIED  AT  THE  FEEDER
 AND  SUBSTATION  LEVEL,  AND  HOW SUCH METRICS MAY BE REPORTED IN FUTURE
 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN FILINGS, AND SHALL INCLUDE, AS DEEMED APPROPRI-
 ATE BY THE COMMISSION, A REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT SEASONAL  ASSESSMENTS  OF
 ELECTRIC  GRID  UTILIZATION  AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  SUCH ELECTRIC GRID
 UTILIZATION METRICS.
   (II) IN APPROVING ANY ELECTRIC GRID  UTILIZATION  METRICS  UNDER  THIS
 PARAGRAPH,  THE COMMISSION SHALL INCLUDE, AS APPROPRIATE: (1) A TIMELINE
 FOR EACH UTILITY CORPORATION TO INCREASE ELECTRIC  GRID  UTILIZATION  IN
 ACCORDANCE  WITH THE APPROVED METRICS; AND (2) A DESCRIPTION OF THE WAYS
 IN WHICH SUCH METRICS  MAY  INFORM  THE  COMMISSION'S  CONSIDERATION  OF
 FUTURE  UTILITY  REQUESTS  FOR  APPROVAL  OF  COST  RECOVERY FOR CAPITAL
 INVESTMENTS.
   (III) IN SUBSEQUENT INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN FILINGS, EACH ELECTRIC OR
 COMBINATION ELECTRIC  AND  GAS  UTILITY  CORPORATION  SHALL  INCLUDE  AN
 ASSESSMENT  OF  CURRENT  SYSTEM  PERFORMANCE  RELATIVE  TO EACH PROPOSED
 METRIC AND MAY PROPOSE NEW OR MODIFIED ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION METRICS
 FOR COMMISSION APPROVAL.
   2. (A) THE COMMISSION SHALL PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO  THE  LEGISLA-
 TURE  AND THE GOVERNOR ON EACH UTILITY CORPORATION'S ASSESSMENT OF RELE-
 VANT GRID UTILIZATION METRICS AND PERFORMANCE AGAINST SUCH METRICS RELA-
 TIVE TO  THE  REQUIREMENTS  OF  THIS  SECTION,  INCLUDING  THE  TIMELINE
 ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION FOR EACH SUCH UTILITY CORPORATION.
   (B)  IN  THE REPORT SUBMITTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
 THE COMMISSION SHALL ALSO ANALYZE THE POTENTIAL FOR EACH UTILITY  CORPO-
 RATION  TO  INCREASE ELECTRIC GRID UTILIZATION THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT OF
 NON-WIRES ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING: (I) VIRTUAL POWER PLANTS; (II) FLEXI-
 BLE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSMISSION STATIC SYNCHRONOUS COMPENSATORS; (III)
 SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSERS; AND  (IV)  POWER  QUALITY  MONITORING  EQUIPMENT
 INSTALLED AT THE POINT OF INTERCONNECTION FOR ALL CUSTOMERS WITH A MEAS-
 URED OR CONTRACTED DEMAND OF TWENTY-FIVE MEGAWATTS OR GREATER.
   (C) IN CONDUCTING AN ANALYSIS UNDER PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
 THE  COMMISSION  MAY REQUEST ANY INFORMATION NECESSARY FROM EACH UTILITY
 CORPORATION TO PROPERLY EVALUATE SUCH UTILITY  CORPORATION'S  DEPLOYMENT
 OF  NON-WIRES  ALTERNATIVES  OR  OTHER  METHODS TO IMPROVE ELECTRIC GRID
 UTILIZATION.
   (D) THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO MUNICIPALLY-OWNED ELECTRIC  UTILI-
 TIES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S9608B

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

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co-Sponsors

2025-S9608 - Details

2025-S9608 - Summary

2025-S9608 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9608 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2025-S9608A - Details

2025-S9608A - Summary

2025-S9608A - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9608A - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Rachel May

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Energy And Telecommunications Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

Pete Harckham

Brian Kavanagh

2025-S9608 - Details

2025-S9608 - Summary

2025-S9608 - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9608 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Pete Harckham

Brian Kavanagh

2025-S9608A - Details

2025-S9608A - Summary

2025-S9608A - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9608A - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Pete Harckham

Brian Kavanagh

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9608B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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