Requires battery energy storage system owners and operators to demonstrate compliance with workforce reliability standards as a condition of state financial assistance; extends prevailing wage requirements and whistleblower protections to operations and maintenance employees at covered battery energy storage systems; directs the public service commission to promulgate implementing regulations; and requires a periodic review of implementation.
Prohibits public utilities from passing along the cost of site investigation and remediation efforts on to rate payers; requires each public utility with more than seventy-five thousand customers to submit to the public service commission an annual report containing a description of any expenses that may not be included or incorporated in the public utility's operating expenses.
Establishes the advanced nuclear energy workforce development commission; directs the advanced nuclear energy workforce development commission to establish and administer the advanced nuclear energy workforce development program.
Requires each utility to take appropriate safety precautions regarding electrical hazards, including developing plans to promptly de-energize downed wires within two hours of notification of the location of such downed wires from a municipal emergency responder and promptly secure such wires within six hours in the case of events that are not considered emergencies.
Enacts the "renewable natural gas standard act"; requires the public service commission to establish a program to require that gas corporations procure renewable natural gas from third-parties, including affiliates of the gas corporation, for distribution to natural gas customers.
Provides that for purposes of the solar energy system equipment credit, the definition of "solar energy system equipment" includes a portable solar generation device defined as a photovoltaic system and associated equipment that is designed to be connected to a residential building's electrical system through a standard electrical outlet.
Enacts the "smart meter transparency and consumer protection act" in relation to requiring utilities to provide certain information about smart meters to customers; authorizes and directs the public service commission, in coordination with an independent third party, to conduct a study on smart meter implementation in New York state.
Prohibits utility corporations and municipalities from increasing a bill previously rendered to a small non-residential customer after twelve months from the date service was provided; provides limited exceptions to such prohibition; requires the utility corporation or municipality to provide notice regarding the late billing.
Enacts the "utility billing integrity act" to establish utility billing integrity and consumer protections through anomaly detection, advanced data analytics and the usage of artificial intelligence; requires every utility to implement and maintain a billing integrity program utilizing anomaly detection systems to review all residential utility bills prior to issuance; provides that where a billing anomaly is identified, the utility shall provide prompt notice to the customer that the bill is under review.
Requires the public service commission to post a written summary of the actions taken by the commission or department upon approval of a major change in rates to promote ratepayer affordability and minimizing residential energy burden.
