NStar filed a petition requesting approval of two wind power contracts that would provide 60MW of renewable generation supply and associated renewable energy credits, at a fixed price for a ten year term, for use within its Basic Service supply portfolio. NStar requests approval of the contracts by October 12, 2007. NStar also proposes to establish NStar Green, a program that would allow Basic Service customers to designate that either 50 or 100 percent of their supply needs be satisfied using renewable generation resources. Customers that participate in the program would pay a rate currently estimated to exceed basic service rates by $1.75 per kWh and $3.00 per kwh, for the 50 percent and 100 percent supply options, respectively. The Green Service Rider is proposed to become effective January 1, 2008. DTE will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the filing on August 20, 2007, to be immediately followed by a procedural conference. Written comments should also be submitted by August 20, 2007. Petitions to intervene are due August 16, 2007. The full texts of NStar's Petition and Notice of Filing are available on the NEM Website.

The Board will hold a "legislative-type" hearing on Basic Generation Service for the period beginning June 1, 2008. The hearing will take place September 20, 2007, at 10AM in the Board's 8th floor hearing room. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments on the utilities' BGS proposals (Joint Utility BGS Filing, the BGS-FP Pricing Factors, and the Utility-Specific Addenda) and other alternative proposals. Board President Jeanne Fox will chair the meeting. Interested parties will have a fixed time alloted to make their comments followed by questions from President Fox. Those that wish to participate should contact frank.perrotti@bpu.state.nj.us by September 18, 2007. Prepared comments to be referenced at the hearing should be sent to the electronic list server by September 18, 2007. Final comments on the BGS proposals are due September 28, 2007. The full text of the Notice of Hearing is available on the NEM Website.

In an open letter to stakeholders, Chairwoman Acampora announced that the Department of Public Service has undergone a reorganization.

Acampora stated, "One of the most important goals in this reorganization is to review and improve our efforts to increase energy efficiency. In addition, we must consider concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, the vulnerability of the electric system to supply disruption, and the need for new investment in infrastructure and supply. The restructuring is designed to ensure that these needs are met.

As part of the reorganization, we have created a new departmental office to be known as the Office of Energy Efficiency and the Environment. This new office focuses on developing and pursuing energy efficiency initiatives and ongoing renewable energy initiatives. It works closely with other environmental priorities, such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

We also created a new office known as the Office of Electric, Gas and Water, which combines the relevant functions of the previously existing Office of Gas and Water with the relevant functions of the Office of Electricity and the Environment. This new office serves as the locus for service reliability, resource adequacy, and rate issues for the electric, gas, steam, and water industries.

We created a new entity within the Executive Office called Utility Rates and Service. It oversees four separate offices: Accounting, Finance and Economics; Electric, Gas and Water; Energy Efficiency and the Environment; and Telecommunications."

Acampora noted that, "we also expanded the role of our Policy Development group to include inter-governmental relations and which oversees the Office of Consumer Services and the Office of Utility Security. We also created a new Public Involvement Program to be managed by our Public Affairs Office, working in conjunction with Consumer Services and the Office of Hearings and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The Public Involvement Program is a comprehensive way to further strengthen our already existing ability to gather input from and to get information to the general public. Clearly, it is critical for the Commission to have the benefit of comprehensive public input, and the Public Involvement Program will be one way to do just that."

The full text of Chairwoman Acampora's Open Letter is available at: http://www.dps.state.ny.us/dept_reorg_announcement.htm

The Commission issued the summer edition of the Keystone Connection news letter. The news letter covers recent Commission actions and utility filings in the markets under its jurisdiction such as natural gas and electricity. The full text of the Keystone Connection is available on the NEM Website.