Fsr Energy & Climate

Catalyst of the utilities’ transformation: the case of new York | Scott Weiner (New York Public Service Commission) During a conference at Columbia University Jean-Michel Glachant, director of the Florence School of Regulation, met with Scott Weiner, the deputy for market and innovation at the New York Public Service Commission. With the major wave of changes in energy transition (the three Ds: decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitalisation), Jean-Michel wanted to discuss the role of a public service commission in this new world. According to Weiner, a commission has to implement the policy direction set at the political level and act as a catalyst for transformation, enabling society to take advantage of the opportunities the three Ds have to offer. In the case of New York, in 2012 Hurricane Sandy revealed the vulnerabilities of the utilities, the lack of system resilience and the inability to anticipate customers’ needs. In response to it, the State of New York established a “Utility 2.0” target mode