MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITIES ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK STATE
Jim Stokes
MEUA Executive Director
NYMPA General Manager
MEUA Executive Director Report
Greetings Everyone,
Just when March made us think Spring had finally arrived, the cold, wet, and in some areas, snowy weather, has been a bit of an April Fools’ reversal. While it may not be a boost to our spirits, at least it keeps the meters spinning. The warmth of May and MEUA’s semi-annual conference (and the NYMPA annual meeting) will be here before we know it.
Just a quick update on the hydro rates. While we are continuing to seek engagement with NYPA on behalf of our systems, so far there’s been no movement and no news to report with respect to the proposed rate increases.
Those of you that were around pre-covid will recall that annual regional meetings were a regular part of the MEUA calendar. I am pleased to report that the Village of Bergen has graciously offered to host a Western Region meeting the third week of June. This will be the first regional meeting of the post-covid era. If all goes well, it can serve as the impetus for further regional meetings. Keep an eye out for further information.
If you will all indulge me, at this point I
am going to wander off the usual track
and philosophize a bit while remembering
Ryan Gleisner, the young lineman for the
Village of Philadelphia that tragically died
last month as the result of a UTV accident.
Ryan’s obituary can be read at:
https://www.frederickbrosfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Ryan-Phillip-Gleisner?obId=39836032
I met Ryan and his family at the MEUA Apprentice School Graduation in October of 2023. I can’t say I knew him all that well. I knew from speaking with him and his dad that he was a very personable young man, he came from a farm family, and I knew that Bill Hesson thought very highly of him (see Bill’s tribute, read by Ryan’s co-worker, Cole Jennings, at Ryan’s memorial service in Philadelphia on March 29th, later in this newsletter), which said all I really needed to know.
These days, we constantly hear comments such as, young people don’t have a work ethic, or, young people just want a fat paycheck – they don’t want to work for it …. While there may be some elements of truth to those statements, I want to take this opportunity to tell you that “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause” and “Yes, America, there are lots of good, honest, hard-working folks out there, young and old. “
Ryan Gleisner made the most of his all too brief stay on this earth. He is someone we can all look to as a role model and an inspiration and example of what can still be accomplished in America with the nurturing of a loving family and an active and supportive community. His many accomplishments by the age of 23, all the result of hard work, dedication and determination, are summarized in his obituary (please take a couple minutes to read it if you haven’t). But as impressive as his list of personal achievements certainly is, it’s what he was able to give back to his family and community that stands out. That service and dedication was recognized by an outpouring of support from Philadelphia and surrounding communities. So sad and tragic the event that brought everyone together, but another example of what is still good and alive in our country – that true sense of loving and caring for thy neighbor, exhibited by Ryan throughout his life, and by the entire Philadelphia community when it came time to say goodbye.
While we continue to mourn our loss and pray for comfort for Ryan’s family, let his life be a constant reminder to always be thinking, “What can I do to help someone today?” The world is made a better place, one small act of kindness at a time.
Take care,
Jim
Chris Wentlent
NYISO Advisor
MEUA Consultant
Chris Wentlent NYISO Update
NYISO Winter 2024-2025 Cold Weather Operations Report
Aaron Markham, Vice President of Operations, NYISO provided the winter 2024/2025 summary at the March 20, 2025, Operations Committee. The following provides the highlights:
Key Observations
-
Winter 2024/2025 average temperatures for the New York Control Area were below normal, with exception of the Syracuse area, with seasonal minimum temperatures occurring during the third week of January.
-
Stored fuel oil was necessary in higher duration periods of cold weather especially over the Martin Luther King and President's Day holiday weekends and smaller durations during the December – February period.
-
Estimated supply mix for the peak hour (1/22/25 Hour Beginning 18) had the following composition:
-
18% natural gas,
-
27% oil,
-
17% hydro,
-
19% imports,
-
14% nuclear,
-
3% wind,
-
1% other renewables.
-
Generation supply dominated by natural gas, oil, hydro, nuclear and imports during the period. Intermittent resources provided variable support depending on wind and sun availability.
Operations
-
Actual Peak load was 23, 521 on Wednesday, January 22, 2025
-
Natural Gas Operation Flow Orders (OFOs) were most severe during the period January 20-25.
-
Gas Pipelines and Gas LDCs issued gas alerts, daily OFOs, hourly OFOs, and interrupted transportation service during certain high demand or scarcity periods. Some of the OFO conditions included days not identified as cold weather timeframes.
-
Supplemental Resource Evaluations (SREs) were requested on January 22. Oswego Unit 6 and Cricket Valley 2 were dispatched.
-
Special Case/Emergency Demand Response Programs were initiated statewide on January 21 & 22.
-
Dual Fuel (Oil & Natural Gas and Natural Gas Units) were relied upon heavily during the period.
-
PJM and Ontario provided import energy during the winter, New England and Hydro Quebec varied between importing and exporting energy.
-
NYISO regularly coordinated with the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) and New York Transmission Owners
-
NYISO conducted weekly fuel surveys to ensure sufficient supplies were available and replenished, as necessary.
Final Takeaways
-
Fuel diversity continues to be critical for safe & reliable winter operations.
-
Imports from neighboring power systems including PJM and Ontario provide additional supplemental support.
-
Intermittent Resources (wind & solar) provide some additional generation support; however, it varies on an hourly and daily basis.
-
SCR Program activation normally does not occur in the winter period. It is an indication of the importance of the program, and some of the stressed winter supply/demand issues that are beginning to be experienced in New York.
-
Natural gas continues to experience supply constraints during cold weather conditions.
NYSERDA
State Energy Planning Process – the process has kicked off. The Scoping Plan was approved on March 3 by the State Energy Planning Board. The plan will include a 15-year evaluation through 2040. The Scoping Plan is available at: Scope for the New York State Energy Plan
CY25 will be utilized to study key areas and draft the initial draft report. The current endpoint of the process is now undetermined and could push into 2026.
Mike Lyons
IEEP
Mike Lyons IEEP Update
The Independent Energy Efficiency Program (IEEP) is off to a good start and has processed over $1,000,000 of incentives in 2025. LED lighting, cold climate heat pumps, and insulation projects make up our top three spending categories. The IEEP currently has $2,300,000 of work in process which leaves approximately $2,000,000 available to invest into your systems.
Please contact the IEEP for assistance in promoting our programs to your customers such as:
-
Residential and commercial building insulation and air sealing programs
-
Cold climate heat pump and heat pump water heater rebates
-
Custom projects for commercial and industrial customers
-
Power factor correction support for commercial and industrial customers
-
Incentives for the purchase of heat pumps, building shell improvements, lighting, level 2 EV chargers, electric vehicles & yard care equipment for municipal owned buildings
-
Commercial & residential LED lighting incentives
-
Energy Star appliance & electric yard care equipment rebates
The IEEP has marketing tools available such as web and Facebook ads, bill inserts, newsletter templates, and rebate forms to assist in promoting IEEP programs to your customers.
Look for the IEEP’s 2024 Environmental
Sustainability Report to be arriving in
your mailboxes soon. The IEEP sends
these reports to over 150 key Senators,
Assembly Members, New York Power
Authority, NYSERDA, NYISO, and
NYSDEC staff members, and with the
Governor’s Office in order to demonstrate
our successes. Please remember distribute
copies to your local officials in order to
share the program’s achievements.
Thank you to all of our IEEP members who continue to make this program successful.
Mike
Ken Podolny, Esq
Read & Laniado, LLP
Ken Podolny Shutoff Procedures
Dear Members,
With the spring shutoff season, we thought it might be useful to have a quick review of the standard residential shutoff procedures.
Residential Customer Disconnection Procedure
You can disconnect electric service to a residential customer for nonpayment if:
-
Customer fails to pay bills for services rendered at any time in the past 12 months.
-
Customer fails to pay amounts due under a deferred payment agreement (“DPA”).
-
Customer fails to pay or agree in writing to pay equipment and installation charges relating to the initiation of service.
-
Customer fails to pay a lawfully required deposit.
To disconnect a residential customer for nonpayment, you must follow the following steps:
Step 1. Send Final Notice of Termination (“Final Notice”). Send the customer, via personal delivery or mail to service address a Final Notice.
-
A Final Notice cannot be sent until at least 20 days have passed from the date the payment was due.
-
The Final Notice must be sent at least 15 days before the termination or disconnection date.
-
The Final Notice of Termination must include:
-
The disconnection date;
-
the reasons for termination, including the total amount required to be paid, and the manner in which termination or disconnection may be avoided;
-
The utility address and phone number the customer may contact;
-
The utility’s complaint procedures;
-
A summary of the protections available under the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (“HEFPA”); and
-
Contain the statement “THIS IS A FINAL TERMINATION NOTICE. PLEASE REFER TO THIS NOTICE WHEN PAYING THIS BILL.”
-
Step 2. Offer Deferred Payment Agreement
-
Contact Customer to Negotiate a Deferred Payment Agreement. You must make reasonable efforts to contact eligible customers to negotiate terms and offer a DPA, at least 7 calendar days (10 days, if mailed), before disconnection.
Step 3. Verify Delinquent Account on Disconnection Day. If the customer has not paid, or agreed to a DPA, you can proceed to disconnection. You must allow the customer to make payment until the time service is disconnected.
Step 4.Disconnect Service. Service may only be disconnected between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Service may not be disconnected on holidays or days when the utility office is closed.
In addition to these regular procedures, additional requirements must be followed to disconnect service to a customer the utility knows is receiving public assistance, supplemental security income benefits, or additional State payments pursuant to the Social Services Law (e.g., HEAP recipients, blind, elderly, etc.).
As always, please let us know if you have any questions. We have standard forms available for your use for all of the required notifications.
John Jennings
MEUA Lobbyist
Albany Update: John Jennings
Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
The deadline for a new state budget came and went a couple of weeks ago on March 31st. Since that time, the Governor and the legislature have continued to negotiate, but they have not reached an agreement on a final budget. The impasse in negotiations seems to be related to several policy issues, such as the expansion of involuntary commitment laws and reform of the discovery rules in criminal proceedings. In the meantime, they passed a series of extenders and are expected to pass another one this week to keep the government operating.
Things have been quiet on the legislative front, as the budget has dominated everyone's attention in Albany. There has not been much movement on any of the bills that we are engaged on. However, we anticipate that will quickly change once the budget process is concluded. And as you all know, most of the legislative activity in New York occurs during the post budget period before the scheduled conclusion of the session (this year is June 12th).
Once the governor and the legislature reach a final deal on the budget, we will update you regarding policies that could impact our municipalities. Feel free to reach out to Jim if there are any specific issues that you want to discuss.
Bill Hesson Tribute to Ryan Gleisner
Read by co-worker and former Student Cole Jennings, Class 2021
Ryan Gleisner was my favorite student graduating from the
MEUA Apprentice School in 2023. Ryan and I had a special
student to teacher relationship right from the very beginning.
I tried to teach him about being a safe and productive lineman,
which I knew he would become. However, I found that he tried
to teach me some things I didn’t know about being a farmer.
I’m positive I could never be a farmer - not like Ryan. He was
big, smart, and always smiling and respectful and quiet - most
of the time. I really grew to like him.
I never lose track of my students, and some become lifelong friends. After graduation Ryan and I would occasionally call and talk to each other about projects and ideas with the thought that he may someday take over the responsibilities for the Village of Philadelphia Electric Utility. He liked to tell me about his life and his love for his family, and I liked to listen. Ryan’s mom and dad and grandmother attended his Lineman Graduation Ceremony. I recall that night how proud he was to introduce his family that he had described over our four years of apprentice school to me, and I was also honored to meet them. That evening he presented my wife Kathy and I with a book written by his grandfather and told me of his passion for working on his projects. Kathy and I have friends in Alex Bay, so we know a lot about that 1000 Island Bridge and that Big Boldt Castle. The book told us even more.
Ryan was special in so many positive ways and there are no words to describe what I am feeling… The news left all of us confused and feeling an emptiness that will hurt very badly for a long while.
I feel so lucky to have a had a position that allowed me to meet Ryan and the other excellent young men I have tried to guide along in their careers. I feel lucky to be included in their stories of life knowing that they will make a positive difference somewhere someday. We know the saying there are no guarantees in life - we have all heard this said. Now today there is another reminder that life can be cut too short - proving again how fragile life can be.
To all of us here, take this memory of Ryan and be thankful that your paths have crossed, that you got a chance to talk and smile with him. Gone too soon for sure, but will never be forgotten to all that knew him. So To my Favorite “Ryan Gleisner” - Rest in Peace.
Welcome New Corporate Members!
We are pleased to introduce four new Corporate Members that have joined MEUA in 2025!
ControlPoint Technologies Inc. provides clients with technical engineering expertise, quality solutions, and is considered a valued consultant. Services include: renewable energy studies, distribution planning, power system studies, substation engineering, and much more!
Lewis Services was founded in 1938 and is based in West Henrietta, NY. They are one of North America’s largest vegetation management companies. The company is 100% employee-owned!
Schuler-Haas Electric Corp. has been a leader in electrical contracting since 1961. Based in Rochester NY, they also have additional offices throughout Central New York to best serve their customers’ electrical construction, testing, and solar installation needs.
Solvay Bank is a long-time partner of the MEUA and NYMPA! They have held our financial accounts for many years, during which we have experienced great customer service. They are the oldest financial institution headquartered and operating in central New York. Solvay Bank is still locally owned and has the resources to serve all of your financial needs.
All of our corporate members have products and services available to serve your utility system needs and are a valuable source of information when it comes to operating your system more effectively. Please review the entire corporate member directory and reach out to any of our corporate members with your questions!
