Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the City’s plans to join Sustainable Westchester’s Community Choice Aggregation program, known as Westchester Power. The 100% emission-free energy program allows municipalities like Yonkers to negotiate a fixed-rate clean energy supply and “green” the electricity grid on behalf of its residents and small businesses.
“Sustainability long has been one of the pillars of my Administration,” said Mayor Spano. “Joining Westchester Power is the next step in providing clean, renewable energy to our city while ensuring residents and businesses get the best clean energy rates possible. We are proud to prepare the community today for a healthier, greener Yonkers tomorrow and Westchester Power will help get us there.”
Dan Welsh, Program Director, Westchester Power; Sustainable Westchester commented, “We are very happy to be teaming with Mayor Spano, the Yonkers City Council and a wonderful range of community groups to expand access to clean energy supply to the residents and small businesses of Yonkers. Sustainable Westchester’s Westchester Power Program is a tool for broad-based participation in the transition to clean energy. Westchester Power is a vetted and proven community energy program, bringing zero-emissions electricity at fixed rates secured through a competitive auction and bidding process. We are looking forward to continued engagement with Yonkers as we help the city position itself to obtain State approvals, and for the ultimate launch of the Westchester Power program which will bring considerable positive environmental benefits to the community at large.”
Currently Yonkers’ participation in Westchester Power is pending Yonkers City Council legislation approval. Upon approval, Yonkers will become the largest municipal member in the program that selects from qualified Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) for a renewable energy supply.
Yonkers Council Majority Leader Corazon Pineda-Isaac stated, “Yonkers continues its path to be greener, more sustainable and more energy efficient. With this Community Choice Aggregation program, Yonkers joins other leading municipalities in aggregating the purchasing power on behalf of consumers which allows for fixed-rate energy costs and increases the use of renewable energy. Environmental benefits include a reduction in our gas consumption and greenhouse emissions.”
John Rubbo, Yonkers City Councilmember, 4th District, said, “This bulk, energy purchase program will allow for a fixed-rate clean energy supply that will help us move towards a more sustainable Yonkers. In speaking with many of our residents it is clear that they are proud of the great work their city is doing to protect the environment and to provide clean and competitive energy options.”
Once the Yonkers City Council passes the enabling legislation, Sustainable Westchester and the City of Yonkers will conduct targeted educational outreach before submission of documentation to the New York State’s Department of Public Service for approval. Sustainable Westchester and the City then will go to bid for energy suppliers to provide Yonkers residents with 100% New York State renewable energy at a competitive fixed rate. Yonkers residents and businesses can OPT OUT of the program at any time.
The program applies only to those who receive their energy supply from Con Edison and will not apply to those already enrolled in an energy program with an Energy Service Company (ESCO). Delivery of energy, billing and support will continue to be provided by Con Edison.
Westchester Power currently serves 115,000 residents in 28 Westchester municipalities who have come together to address climate change through their electricity choice. Sustainable Westchester is a nonprofit, consortium of Westchester County local governments that facilitates effective collaboration on sustainability initiatives.
For more information on Westchester Power, visit https://sustainablewestchester.org/wp/yonkers/.
