Experts in energy-related policy from state government and the private sector will discuss regulatory issues affecting energy in New York during a panel discussion Thursday, Sept. 20, during The Council's Annual Meeting.

The Annual Meeting is set for Sept. 19-21 at the Sagamore resort in Bolton Landing. The energy panel is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday.

Panelists scheduled to join this discussion include:

• Maureen Helmer, chairwoman of the state Public Service Commission.
  
  
• Erin Crotty, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
  
  
• John Cahill, senior advisor to Governor George Pataki.
  
  
• David Owens, senior vice president of the Edison Electric Institute, a nationwide association of shareholder-owned electric companies.
  

With New York State reviewing and updating its state energy plan, and President Bush advocating a new federal energy policy, the panel will discuss how state and federal regulators will oversee the process by which New York addresses the increasing demand for new sources of energy.

Energy issues have long been a major concern of New York's business community, largely because New York's energy costs have long been well above the national average.

Average energy costs for industrial and commercial users in New York State are 41 and 54 percent above the national average, respectively, according to the 2001 edition of Just the Facts, a compendium of data on key economic indicators in New York State published by The Public Policy Institute of New York State. The Institute is the research affiliate of The Business Council.

In recent months, several factors have focused attention on concerns about New York's long-term energy supply. These factors include California's energy shortages and a prolonged August heat wave that led to new records for New York's electric consumption on three consecutive days.

The Business Council and other organizations have argued that New York State must add more power plants to increase its baseline generating capacity, and must accelerate the process by which it evaluates applications for new plants.

Specifically, The Council says New York should add at least 10,000 new megawatts within five years to sustain the reliability of its transmission system, keep pace with projected rates of economic growth, and foster the competition that New York's newly deregulated markets need to drive prices down over the long term.

The Council also supports expanding and upgrading New York's transmission systems for both electricity and natural gas.