New York’s chief energy regulator, the Public Service Commission, is reluctantly admitting that the state faces a natural-gas shortage, though the commissioners disagree on what to do about it.
Even Commissioner Tracey Edwards, who devoted much of her time at last week’s meeting to complaining that utility National Grid had been “mean” in declaring a moratorium on natural-gas hookups in a major service area, admitted, “We have capacity issues.”
Commissioner John Howard was franker: “We need more gas. That’s an undeniable fact.”
But only Commissioner Diane Burman seemed willing to admit the state has made things worse by “not making decisions we need to make.”
This will boost carbon emissions by forcing greater use of “dirtier” fuels: “We will have the need for switching interruptible customers off of gas onto oil, isn’t that right?” she asked PSC engineer John Sano, who was there to advise on technical issues and confirmed that staff is on it.
Burman then pointed out: “We’ve had a policy of limiting new natural gas and it seems to promote more polluting fuels. … Those who say ‘No New Pipelines’ should look at what the ramifications are.”
She continued: “It’s easy to hate the utility,” but the state and the PSC should be looking at “our role” in the shortage.
Meanwhile, apologists for the no-pipelines crowd are resorting to conspiracy theories. Assemblyman William Colton (D-B’klynBrooklyn), has declared that National Grid is faking the shortage so that it can stockpile fuel to sell to other states when the city goes to 100 percent renewable energy, a shift he seems to think this is imminent.
Similarly, the Stop the Williams Pipeline Coalition points to evidence showing that operator Transco has offered to move less gas than planned through the pipeline — if it can just get it built — as proof that it doesn’t really need more fuel at all.
If New York’s leaders keep indulging this lunacy and blocking new fuel supplies, the state may wind up reducing its carbon footprint by forcing its residents to move to where they won’t have to shiver in the dark.
Read more at NY Post
Who cares? Morons get what they deserve. Nobody was pushing them to elect clinically insane environmental wackos to the office.
Just don’t move down to Florida. And if you do, leave your leftists insanity behind you.
RE: ” . . . faking the shortage so that it can stockpile fuel to sell to other states . . . ” It is almost impossible to store natural gas. There are a very few places in North America that store natural gas, but mostly, it comes out at the wellheads and flows right through the system to the end users with virtually no storage or tankage.
Actually, there is a tremendous amount of storage of natural gas across the US.
To get familiar with the amounts and places stored, visit this website. https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/storagecapacity/
Natural gas is stored naturally, in the rock surrounding the wells. It is normal for wells to lose pressure at the wellhead if flow is too high.
If you’re a New Yorker, you’re definitely not hoping for global cooling this winter.
You don’t need natural gas. Just go back to the old days and get a load of coal delivered. lasts a long time. Burns good and hot.
London ‘fog’ went away when they banned coal for home heating. Is there anyone who misses it?
“We have capacity issues.” “We need more gas. That’s an undeniable fact.” “This will boost carbon emissions by forcing greater use of “dirtier” fuels” How in the world did commissioners in New York suddenly get smart? This probably won’t happen again for 20 years.
“the state may wind up reducing its carbon footprint by forcing its residents to move to where they won’t have to shiver in the dark.” Please, please no! These people have screwed up New York by their stupid voting, it isn’t fair that they move to other parts of the country and do the same.
“…the Public Service Commission, is reluctantly admitting that the state faces a natural-gas shortage, though the commissioners disagree on what to do about it.”
I dunno… a pipeline might be quite helpful actually. You know, to pipe in more of the stuff. Just an off-the-cuff idea. Maybe someone should tell them?