St. Lawrence County officials were successful in their call for the Public Service Commission (PSC) to adopt a new Clean Energy Standard (CES) that would strengthen the state’s energy grid and at the same time, protect the jobs of thousands of hardworking people statewide.

The Clean Energy Standard, which has now been approved, will require 50 percent of New York's electricity to come from renewable energy sources like wind and solar by 2030, with an aggressive phase in schedule over the next several years. In its initial phase, utilities and other energy suppliers will be required to procure and phase in new renewable power resources starting with 26.31 percent of the state's total electricity load in 2017 and grow to 30.54 percent of the statewide total in 2021.

The Clean Energy Standard will cost less than $2 a month to the average residential customer’s bill, according to a release from the governor’s office..

In a letter issued last week, individuals representing towns, cities, villages and school districts throughout Central and Northern New York, urged the PSC to adopt its proposed Clean Energy Standard that includes support for nuclear power. The PSC is slated to adopt a new CES, which has set a goal of achieving 50 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, on August 1.

“Ensuring the continued operation of our state’s nuclear power plants isn’t just an issue that’s important to the regions in which those facilities exist—it’s important to our state as a whole,” said State Senator Patty Ritchie.

“The tremendous economic benefits supported by nuclear generating facilities cannot be overstated, and I’m pleased to see so many leaders from throughout Central and Northern New York lending their voices in support of the adoption of a CES that includes nuclear power, and in turn, boosts our state’s economy and protects the jobs of thousands of hardworking men and women. We have fought hard to demonstrate that nuclear power is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to helping New York State achieve its clean energy goals, and I am hopeful that on Monday, the PSC will act on its plan that includes support for, clean, reliable nuclear power.”

Assemblywoman Russell said she was encouraged by the commission’s inclusion of a nuclear tier in the state's proposed Clean Energy Standards. She said the proposal calling for support for the upstate nuclear plants has her strong support.

" ... my constituents are aware of the need for reliable and affordable energy to maintain and attract business and residents to the region. Nuclear energy is a proven workhorse that is capable of providing a constant baseline in an era where we are increasingly relying on technology with built in ups and downs in electrical production that does not always match the demand," she wrote in a letter to the PSC.

"Maintaining our nuclear facilities is crucial to allowing our state to advance into a cleaner, greener future as we transition away from older, more polluting technologies," she added.

"This program doesn’t just make sense from an electricity production point of view, the proposal is also an economic win-win for Upstate New York," according to Assemblywoman Russell.

The state's PSC is expected to review a proposal that initially calls for $482 million to be provided to the upstate nuclear facilities. The proposal for support came from PSC staff in the wake of an announcement by Entergy Corp. that it plans to close its Fitzpatrick facility in Oswego County by January 2017.

The plant has 615 employees earning good wages and is critical to the regional economy. Low energy prices reportedly have resulted in annual losses in the $60 million range for the FitzPatrick facility alone.

Twenty six percent of the electricity used in the state currently comes from renewable energy sources, up from 19 percent in 2004.