New York S 9500: Establishes the New York State grid reliability and energy affordability transition (GREAT) act

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S09500 Summary:

BILL NOS09500A

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORHINCHEY

&nbsp

COSPNSRGONZALEZ, MAY

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MLTSPNSR

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Add Art 12 §§240 - 244, Pub Serv L

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Establishes the New York State grid reliability and energy affordability transition (GREAT) act; establishes the virtual power plant program to help reduce energy costs and grid reliability risks; provides incentives to participants for supporting the grid by investing in distributed energy resources and reducing net energy costs.

Go to top S09500 Actions:

BILL NOS09500A

&nbsp

03/18/2026REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

05/19/2026AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

05/19/2026PRINT NUMBER 9500A

06/01/2026COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

06/01/2026ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1490

06/01/2026PASSED SENATE

06/01/2026DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

06/01/2026referred to ways and means

Go to topS09500 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS09500 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS09500 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9500--A

 IN SENATE

 March 18, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. HINCHEY, GONZALEZ, MAY -- read twice and ordered
 printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy
 and Telecommunications -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
 reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to establishing the
 New York State grid reliability and energy affordability transition
 act

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "New York
 2 State grid reliability and energy affordability transition (GREAT) act".
 3 § 2. Legislative findings and declarations. The legislature finds and
 4 declares that:
 5 1. New Yorkers face rising energy costs and grid reliability risks
 6 driven by extreme weather, aging infrastructure, and use of expensive,
 7 polluting fossil fuel plants to meet peak demand.
 8 2. A virtual power plant is a coordinated network of energy resources
 9 like batteries, electric vehicles, and smart thermostats working togeth-
 10 er to help meet the needs of the electric grid. During periods of peak
 11 demand for electricity, virtual power plants can reduce demand, supply
 12 electricity, and provide other essential grid services, preventing
 13 blackouts and lessening the need for costly upgrades to utility infras-
 14 tructure.
 15 3. Virtual power plants can lower electric bills for all ratepayers
 16 and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, espe-
 17 cially from aging "peaker plants" in disadvantaged communities. Virtual
 18 power plants also pay participating families and businesses for support-
 19 ing the grid, enabling and encouraging them to invest in distributed
 20 energy resources and reduce their net energy costs. This can help the
 21 state advance its clean energy goals and give customers tools to better
 22 manage their energy bills.
 23 4. Current market rules, complex energy program structures, and inade-
 24 quate compensation to participants are preventing New York from using
 25 virtual power plants at the scale they are capable of, leaving a great

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD14809-08-6

 S. 9500--A 2

 1 potential source of grid reliability, ratepayer savings and customer
 2 benefits untapped.
 3 5. Through the Reforming the Energy Vision initiative, the Public
 4 Service Commission has taken important steps toward modernizing New
 5 York's energy system, encouraging utilities to work proactively with
 6 customers and third-party providers to start the integration of distrib-
 7 uted energy resources into system planning and operations in order to
 8 lower system costs, reduce emissions, meet clean energy targets, and
 9 advance other public policy goals. Through this act the legislature
 10 provides comprehensive guidance to strengthen, accelerate, and codify
 11 those efforts, giving the Commission clear statutory direction to expand
 12 distributed energy markets by enhancing exi