P’ville to Vote on Joining Consortium in Hopes of Lower Energy Costs
A program that could reduce energy costs for Pleasantville residents through Community Choice Aggregation (CAC) drew sharp differences last week between Mayor Peter Scherer and Trustee Mindy Berard.
Through the program, Sustainable Westchester, Inc., a non-profit organization comprised of local municipalities, would negotiate with energy service companies (ESCOS) on behalf of municipalities. An alternative energy provider would be selected that meets residents’ needs while providing a savings over Con Edison prices.
Berard is firmly opposed to participating in the program, which was first discussed in early March. She said the village would be unable to demonstrate to residents a monthly savings on their energy bills.
Under the program, every resident who still uses Con Edison as their energy provider would automatically be included in the group-buying effort. Sustainable Westchester would only enter into a contract with an ESCO if the rates with the alternative energy company demonstrate a savings over current Con Edison rates.
“You…for the first time in New York history, certainly Westchester history, will have the option of buying into an ESCO through Sustainable Westchester, which will generate a report that said how did we do relative to what would happen if we didn’t,” Scherer said.
The board is scheduled to vote on whether to join Sustainable Westchester at its Apr. 13 meeting.
Although Sustainable Westchester will provide reports that show the savings accrued from the community buying effort, Berard questioned how these reports would be distributed to residents and whether or not that responsibility would fall on the municipality. Berard also noted that most residents are unaware of Sustainable Westchester, so the municipality would have to take on the “administrative burden” of educating them about the program.
Scherer, who has been supportive of Pleasantville joining Sustainable Westchester, said that residents could learn of the program by a one-page letter mailed to every home. The letter would be distributed once Sustainable Westchester identifies an ESCO and enters into a contract, he said.
One of the main concerns Berard has voiced about Sustainable Westchester is that residents who are still using Con Edison as their energy provider are automatically enrolled in the program and don’t have the choice to opt in. She said making the decision to adopt an ESCO on behalf of residents implies that government is smarter than residents, thereby changing the role of the board and forcing them to act as a utility.
Scherer said the program isn’t run on an opt-in basis because it is difficult to make residents pay attention and take the time to join.
“If you can’t get them to pay attention to opt in, how are you going to get them to pay attention if they know they’re going to opt out?” Berard asked.
Scherer said participation in Sustainable Westchester would give residents an alternative energy option that they may not have known existed. He said he has personally remained with Con Edison because he didn’t know how to find an alternative energy provider.
“It turns out that government can actually play a role in trying to create a more responsive, more capitalistic economy in the world of energy,” Scherer said.
Residents would not see changes to their energy bills until other local municipalities join and the organization secures a contract with an ESCO. So far, Lewisboro is the only local town to join the program but New Castle, North Castle, Mount Pleasant and Mount Kisco are considering participation.
Once an ESCO contract is secured, residents have the ability to opt out and return to Con Edison. Mike Gordon, CEO of Joule Assets, a Bedford Hills company that provides financing for energy efficiency projects and a member of Sustainable Westchester’s board of directors, explained in a recent e-mail to Scherer that residents are able to opt out at any time and will not face a penalty for doing so.
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