BILL NUMBER: S2708A
SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public service law and the public authorities law,
in relation to advanced transmission technologies; and to direct the New
York state energy research and development authority to conduct a study
on the effectiveness of such technologies
 
PURPOSE:
To create a cost-effectiveness analysis process to determine where
advanced transmission technologies shall be deployed in order to maxi-
mize transmission capacity and minimize the cost needed for transmission
infrastructure upgrades
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 introduces the concept of advanced transmission and grid
enhancing technologies and provides relevant definitions. It allows
dynamic line rating, advanced reconductoring, and energy storage as
transmission resources, offering flexibility in achieving transmission
goals. It requires utility companies to conduct cost-effectiveness
analyses during rate case proceedings, evaluating strategies that
include the deployment of these technologies that can save needed
investment to boost grid capacity.
Section 2 directs the New York State Energy Research and Development
Authority to conduct a study evaluating the use and benefits of advanced
transmission technologies
Section 3 establishes the effective date of the bill.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Bringing down the cost of energy will require the buildout of new elec-
tricity supply to be brought onto the grid. One of the main barriers,
and costs, to do that is boosting transmission capacity. Under our
current system, utilities make profits by building out large amounts of
transmission capacities.
Instead of a system that incentivizes actors to require the largest
build out of infrastructure possible, resulting in increasing utility
costs, this bill establishes a system requiring the maximum use of tech-
nologies which enhance the capacity of our existing grid, which mini-
mizes the cost needed for upgrades.
The record of advanced transmission and grid enhancing technologies is
clear. A report from the Brattle Group found that deploying GETs in
Kansas and Oklahoma, with one-time installation costs of $90 million,
could enable additional renewables, resulting in $175 million in annual
production cost savings, paying for themselves within six months of full
operation, while also reducing carbon emissions by 3 million tons annu-
ally and creating jobs in the region.1
A study from the independent non-profit RMI looked at the ComEd service
territory in North-Central Illinois and found that interconnection
issues were causing a delay in connecting new energy resources. Initial
network upgrade modeling suggested upgrades would take 3 years and cost
$100 million, but upgrading the same infrastructure using GETs would
cost $12 million and take 12-15 months. Another RMI estimate of Illi-
nois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia found that adoption of
three ATTs would cost about $100 million and yield about $1 billion in
annual production cost savings. 2
To promote accountability and ongoing progress, this bill mandates peri-
odic reporting by utilities, providing a structured reporting mechanism
every two years.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.7868-A (May) / A.9105-A (Anderson) - Vetoed
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Ninetieth day after becoming law
1 https://www.brattle.com/insights-events/publications/ grid-enhancing-
technologies-shown-to- double-regionalrenewable-energy-capacity- accord-
ing-to-study-by-brattle-consultants/
2 https://ri.org/wp-conntent/uploads/
dlm_uploads/2024/02/GETs_insight_brief_v3.Pdf

Statutes affected:
S2708: 1005 public authorities law