New Yorkers back carbon pricing for electricity, poll finds
Siena College and the New York Independent System Operator released a new poll on Monday that found a majority of New Yorkers approve of factoring the social and environmental cost of carbon into the price of wholesale electricity.
The NYISO oversees the state's highvoltage electrical system and operates the state's wholesale electricity markets. The NYISO is currently working on a plan to incorporate the cost of carbon into those wholesale electricity markets.
The polling, conducted by the Siena College Research Institute, found that when respondents were first asked about the proposal, they were somewhat lukewarm to the idea, with 47 percent in support.
However, when the respondents were told more about the proposal and its potential benefits, 71 of the respondents said they were "more likely" to support the idea if they knew it would lead to the oldest, most polluting power plants being replaced by newer, cleaner plants that produced less pollution.
Pollsters then asked the same respondents how they felt about the proposal overall, and 62 percent said they would support it, with 27 percent opposing it, down from 36 percent in opposition during the first time they were asked.
The NYISO carbon pricing plan would use "price signals" to get reductions in emissions from fossil fuel generators while giving investors incentives to build clean power plants.
“These results demonstrate that New Yorkers recognize carbon pricing is a compelling tool for meeting New York’s clean energy, economic, and public health needs,” Rich Dewey, the CEO of the NYISO, said in a statement. "Carbon pricing will speed up innovation, and protect consumers from the risk associated with those investments.
Now we know the proposal has broad public support.”