Bill > S06570

This bill, known as the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power (ASAP) Act, aims to significantly increase the amount of solar energy generated within the state and streamline the process for connecting new energy sources to the power grid. Specifically, it raises the target for distributed solar energy capacity to twenty gigawatts by 2035, a substantial increase from the previous goal. The bill also directs the Public Service Commission, the state agency that regulates utilities, to implement reforms to the utility interconnection process. This means making it faster and more affordable to connect new distributed energy resources, such as solar panels and energy storage systems, to the electric distribution system. Key reforms include requiring utilities to report on the costs of system upgrades needed for these connections, creating a public database of this cost information, and developing strategies to ensure greater cost certainty for these upgrades to prevent unexpected overruns. Additionally, the bill introduces the concept of "flexible interconnection," which uses smart-grid technology to manage distributed energy resources, and mandates the development of a statewide program for this technology to lower costs and speed up integration. It also establishes a program to proactively upgrade the electric distribution system to accommodate more distributed energy resources and clarifies that certain infrastructure below 69 kilovolts (KV) will be considered part of the distribution system for interconnection and compensation purposes. Finally, the bill directs the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to continue and expand the NY-Sun program, which provides incentives for solar development, with a significant portion of funding dedicated to low-to-moderate income households and disadvantaged communities, and ensures sufficient funding is available to meet the new solar capacity goals.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6570