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Report: Power Diversity Could Pay Off Big for Kentucky
Public News Service- January 17, 2012

More jobs, greater economic activity and utility-bill savings for customers are all byproducts of investing in clean energy in Kentucky over the next decade. That's according to a new study by Synapse Energy Economics that examines the effects of the Clean Energy Opportunity Act - House Bill 167, introduced in the Kentucky House - if it becomes law.

PJM Capacity Market Faces Uprising
AOL Energy- December 19, 2011

Consumers in two congested load areas--in Maryland and New Jersey--are paying increasing surcharges to the so-called capacity markets. New Jersey regulators estimate their surcharges alone will total $11.3 billion by 2015. But there's no sign of significant new capacity in those areas, and the two states are charging that capacity markets simply pad utility profits. A study by Synapse Energy Economics in June found 95% of capacity payments in PJM Interconnection, the mid-Atlantic regional grid, have gone to existing generators, not new competitors.

Civil Society Institute Study: U.S. Could Achieve Over $80 Billion in Lower Energy Costs by Focusing on Safer, Renewable Energy
PR Newswire- November 16, 2011

It is a myth that switching to safe, renewable energy would mean an unreliable U.S. power supply that also is too expensive to afford. That is the major conclusion of a new Synapse Energy Economics report prepared for the nonprofit Civil Society Institute that details a future with more energy efficiency and renewable energy and less reliance on coal and nuclear power. The new Synapse/CSI report outlines a realistic transition to a cleaner energy future that would result in a net savings of $83 billion over the next 40 years. The Synapse report also details other major benefits, including: the avoidance of tens of thousands of premature deaths due to pollution; the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs; sharp cuts in carbon pollution; and significant cuts in water consumption for power production.

Synapse's report, Toward a Sustainable Future for the U.S. Power Sector: Beyond Business as Usual 2011, was also covered by the following media outlets: Stock Markets Review (Is the "Common Wisdom" Wrong?: Report to Show That U.S. Can Achieve Renewable Energy Future ... And Save Money for Consumers); Charleston Gazette (Cleaner energy possible, report says); Sacramento Bee (Civil Society Institute Study: U.S. Could Achieve Over $80 Billion in Lower Energy Costs by Focusing on Safer, Renewable Energy); North American Wind Power (Report: Renewable Energy Future Is Cheaper Than Fossil-Fuel Status Quo); and The River Reporter (Report: cleaner energy could be cheaper as well).

Northern Plains members hear about possible future for coal
KTVQ News- November 12, 2011

A local conservation group is hearing that alternative energy will eventually replace coal, with wind and solar becoming more cost effective. Two experts spoke about that message at the Northern Plains Resource Council's 40th annual meeting." As a nation we could phase out coal fire energy over the next few decades at basically negligible cost." said Geoff Keith of Synapse Energy Economics. "That really flies in the face of conventional wisdom or what we've understood about this industry." Keith says Synapse Energy Economics in Cambridge, will release a report on [November 16], about coal and alternative energy.

Consultant will testify about flaws in KU, LG&E Rate Proposal
WFPL News- November 8, 2011

Hearings begin tomorrow in Frankfort, as the Kentucky Public Service Commission considers a request for environmental upgrades and higher rates from Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities. Commissioners will also hear from a consultant who has found flaws with the request. Jeremy Fisher is a scientist with Synapse Energy Economics, a Boston-based energy consulting firm. He will testify in the hearing on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council, which are intervening in the case. Fisher says there are shortcomings in the proposal, one of which is in the number of coal-fired units the utility is proposing to retire.

Indian Point Nuclear Plant Should Be Closed, Report Says
The Huffington Post- October 17, 2011

A report released Monday says southern New York State's Indian Point Energy Center should be closed, despite pressure to keep it open. The Indian Point Energy Center is located along the banks of the Hudson River in Westchester County, less than 40 miles north of New York City. The report, commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Riverkeeper, suggests that the plant can and should be closed, in favor of readily available alternative energy options, according to a press release. The report, from consulting firm Synapse Energy Economics, claims that shuttering the nearly 40-year-old plant when its current license expires in 2015 would not mean a need for greater capacity in the region's electric grid until 2020.

Synapse's report, Indian Point Energy Center Nuclear Plant Retirement Analysis: Replacement Options, Reliability Issues, and Economic Effects on Indian Point, was also covered by the following media outlets: Reuters (NY can replace Indian Point nuclear power); eNews Park Forest (New Analysis: Indian Point Nuclear Plant Can be Replaced with Cleaner, Safer Energy); Penn Energy (New analysis on retirement of Indian Point nuclear plant finds NY reliability not in jeopardy); The New York Times (How Essential Is Indian Point?); OnEarth Magazine (Time to Mothball Indian Point Nuclear Plant?); Crain's New York Business (Report: NY could do without nuclear plant's power); and Westfair Online (Hearing puts Indian Point in the spotlight).

Cutting Carbon, Controversy in NE
energybiz- October 11, 2011

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's decision this May to withdraw the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) by year-end continues to fuel a national debate on the merits of regional market-based efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. In an open letter dated July 2011, a range of businesses pledged support for RGGI, noting that “strong clean energy and clean air policies create jobs and stimulate economic growth.” Regarding RGGI's impact on the regional economy, an October 2010 Synapse Energy Economics, Inc. report estimated that, in those states focusing on energy efficiency, electricity savings range from just over $2 to just under $4 for each $1 invested by the RGGI program.

Why Go Nuclear When Efficiency, Renewables Fit the Bill
Sustainable Business- October 7, 2011

What's the likely result if the more than 20 applications for new or expanded nuclear plants are approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission? That's the question addressed in the report, "Big Risks, Better Alternatives," by Synapse Energy Economics on behalf of the Union of Concerned Scientists. The report focuses on two proposed nuclear projects in Florida and Georgia, states which rank among the worst in the nation in energy efficiency, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). If either state were to pursue even modest efficiency goals, peak load energy levels could remain below those of 2006. Further, neither Florida nor Georgia have meaningful renewable energy standards but do have significant potential for developing them. "Florida and Georgia policy makers should reexamine their decision to place the considerable risks of new nuclear construction on ratepayers when there are cost-effective, environmentally sustainable alternatives available to meet their states' energy needs," says Max Chang of Synapse, the report's lead author. "Pursuing these alternatives would enable Florida and Georgia to reliably meet demand growth and reduce carbon emissions at lower cost and with less risk than those posed by the proposed Levy and Vogtle projects."

US cap-and-trade scheme set for key battle
The Financial Times- August 21, 2011

Businesses in the north-eastern US are preparing for a battle over the future of the country's only working cap-and-trade scheme for controlling carbon dioxide emissions. At the heart of the dispute is a disagreement over whether the fragile US economy can cope with tougher environmental regulation. So far, RGGI's effect on energy prices has been barely visible. Bruce Biewald, president of Synapse Energy Economics, says a rough calculation suggests it has added about 1 percent to electricity bills in the member states. The full impact on businesses and consumers will be even smaller, he adds, because of the recycling of most of the proceeds. About $700m out of the $886m that has been raised so far has been used to support energy efficiency improvements.

Entergy attempts to bar three state witnesses
Brattleboro Reformer- August 20, 2011

Lawyers for Entergy (owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant) filed a motion on August 18 to preclude three expert witnesses for the state from offering testimony about the preemptive scope of the Atomic Energy Act. These witnesses include Peter Bradford, Bruce Hinkley, and William Steinhurst, a senior consultant with Synapse Energy Economics. Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell said he understood why Entergy's lawyers would file such a motion, but stated both sides get to make their case. "You always want to disarm your opponent if you can," he said. "But I would be surprised if the judge decided our witnesses wouldn't offer helpful information. We're not trying to pull a fast one on the court here."

Sierra Club questions Utah power-rate deal
The Salt Lake Tribune- August 3, 2011

The Sierra Club has lodged the only objection to a settlement agreement that, if approved by state utility regulators, would allow Rocky Mountain Power to raise the amount it charges its customers for electricity by $117 million a year beginning in September. This amount includes millions of dollars that the utility spent on new emission-control equipment for its coal-fired plants. William Steinhurst, with Synapse Energy Economics in Vermont, said Rocky Mountain Power’s investment in its coal-fired plants may fall short of what’s needed to comply with state and federal environmental rules that might be enacted down the road. "Under such a scenario, Rocky Mountain Power would be forced to either reinvest in different or additional technology, which could render the proposed investments redundant or obsolete, or to decommission plants entirely, in which case the ratepayer-funded investments would be abandoned," he wrote.

Local Clean Energy a High Priority for Canadian Provinces
Renewable Energy World- August 1, 2011

Nova Scotia is completing rulemaking for a provincial goal of 40 percent renewable power by 2020 that includes a 100-MW set-aside for community-owned distributed generation projects. The policy promises to increase the economic activity from its renewable energy goal by $50 to $240 million. Under the Community Feed-in Tariff (ComFIT), the community-owned projects will receive 20-year contracts for power at rates sufficient to ensure a reasonable return on investment. The preliminary rates, designed by Synapse Energy Economics, were published earlier this year.

Powering Down: An Arizona utility moves past coal, but PNM digs in
Santa Fe Reporter- July 27, 2011

Late last year, the Arizona Public Service (APS) company decided to shut down three of the five operating units at its Four Corners Power Plant in New Mexico. In a press release, APS states that the shutdown would save rate payers about $500 million by avoiding costly environmental retrofits on the nearly 50-year-old coal units in addition to reducing particulate emissions -- shown by the Natural Resources Defense Council to cause asthma -- by 43 percent. Yet PNM, whose plant is only five miles away from APS’s, states in its new Integrated Resource Plan that its least-cost option is to keep its coal plant puffing away. “If [PNM] had done the analyses right, they would have seen that the best economics for New Mexicans would be to retire some or all of the [San Juan units] instead of continuing to pour money into keeping them going,” William Steinhurst, a senior consultant at Synapse Energy Economics and an expert witness in the PNM rate case, says.

Germany to phase out nuclear power. Could the US do the same?
The Christian Science Monitor- June 7, 2011

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has endorsed a plan to end all nuclear power in Germany by 2022. Increasingly, studies suggest this is not a far-fetched idea, even for the US. A 2010 Synapse Energy Economics study concluded that the US "could replace coal-fired electricity generation with energy efficiency and renewable energy, and we could reduce our use of nuclear power" by more than one-quarter by 2050.

Nuclear power in US: public support plummets in wake of Fukushima crisis
The Christian Science Monitor- March 22, 2011

Several polls show that Americans are once again wary of nuclear power. A new survey shows that 53 percent of Americans would support "a moratorium on new nuclear reactor construction in the United States"– but only if increased energy efficiency and off-the-shelf renewable technologies such as wind and solar could meet our energy demands for the near term. "If done in a gradual way, over time, there's plenty of time to backfill" the declines in nuclear power though systems like solar and wind, Bruce Biewald, president of Synapse Energy told reporters in a conference call hosted by CSI unveiling the findings.

What If There Is No Climate/Energy Bill? Civil Society Institute Report From Synapse Shows Clean Energy Future Still Possible For U.S.
Earth Times / PRNewswire- May 11, 2010

The Synapse report outlines a "Transition Scenario" that would step up energy efficiency and the use of clean, renewable energy, allowing the country to retire all coal-fired power plants, and over a quarter of existing nuclear reactors. The overall cost of the plan would involve modest near-term costs over a "business as usual" (BAU) scenario, but result in savings by 2040.

Policy and Rhetoric Ignore Real Limits of Nation's Coal Reserves
SolveClimate.com- May 7, 2010

There are a number of implications to the widespread belief that coal is plentiful for the foreseeable future. One is a "failsafe" mindset that leaves politicians stuck in the past... As the April 2010 report from the independent group Synapse Energy Economics, Inc., prepared for the Energy Foundation, shows, American tax dollars are still supporting the coal industry in the form of tax-exempt loans to the industry, DOE tax credits, and financial backing to the World Bank, which finances fossil fuel extraction globally...

Energy Efficiency Brought up in Black Hills Power Testimony
Rapid City Journal- April 29, 2010

A group of Rapid City residents and the South Dakota Peace and Justice Center said Thursday that Black Hills Power could have avoided building an expensive new coal-fired power plant by implementing energy efficiency measures...Christopher James, senior associate at Synapse Energy Economics in Massachusetts, said the utility could provide reliable and affordable power to customers without the new power plant, the cost of which he said exposes customers to unnecessary risks.

Empowering the Planet - An Earth Day Overview
The Huffington Post- April 19, 2010

China has announced plans to build 100 nuclear plants that will produce a total of at least a gigawatt of power. But that's only one-tenth of a terawatt! And, according to a 2008 report by Synapse Energy Economics, the total construction cost for each recently built 1,100-MW nuclear plant has been running $5,500/kW to $8,100/kW - or between $6 billion and $9 billion, bringing the total price tag for those upcoming plants to somewhere between $600 billion and $900 billion.

Vermont State Senators Urge Consideration of Newly-issued Report on Vermont Yankee
Vermontbiz.com- April 8, 2010

This independent report, commissioned by the Joint Fiscal Office at the request of the Vermont Legislature and 16 months in the making, reviews the energy and economic impact of four possible Vermont energy scenarios, and concludes Vermont would be best served by relicensing Vermont Yankee and pursuing more renewable energy. It was prepared in collaboration with Synapse Energy Economics, Inc., the Department of Public Service, Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service Corporation.

New GA Report Offers Efficiency Alternatives to Dirty Coal
cleanenergy.org- March 22, 2010

...The range of cost outlined in a Synapse Energy Economics report on Plant Washington suggests that building Plant Washington - 850MW of new coal capacity - could cost anywhere in the range of 7.5 cents per kilowatt-hour to as high as 13.7 cents per kilowatt-hour depending on climate legislation. These cost ranges and the risks associated with building coal are significantly higher than investing in various energy efficiency measures....

Massachusetts Positioned for Steep Global Warming Gas Reductions
Boston.com- February 5, 2010

As national legislation to reduce global warming emissions has stalled in Congress, Massachusetts is on target to reduce its own emissions more than 18 percent below 1990 levels in the next decade, according to a draft technical report released by the state today...

Interview: Toy Jewelry & A Pound of Coal
The Environment Report- January 13, 2010

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is reacting to a report on a toxic metal found in some children's jewelry. The Associated Press found cadmium in the jewlery. Mark Brush reports that it's buyer beware. And... a pound of coal. Lester Graham talks with Ezra Hausman, Vice President of Synapse Energy Economics. Hausman explains what you get when you burn a pound of coal.

Experts Raise Concerns About New Transmission Line from Coal Country to Eastern Grid
Common Dreams.org / Sierra Club Press Release- October 27, 2009

The experts, testifying on behalf of the Sierra Club, include George Loehr and Hyde Merrill, nationally renowned electric experts, Chris James of Synapse Energy Economics, Inc. (a former EPA employee and Director of Air Planning for Connecticut), and Robert Fagan, also of Synapse, a mechanical engineer and energy economics expert. Their testimony concludes that the line is not needed; that cheaper, simpler alternatives are available; and that “[r]ather than increase reliability, PATH would actually make it worse.”

Mountain Top Removal Economics: Limits Won't be the End of the World
The Charlston Gazette Blog- October 13, 2009

As the Obama administration works out the kinks of its proposal to take “unprecedented steps” to reduce the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal, coal industry supporters are pulling out all of their old arguments....but now, a newly released report commissioned by the Sierra Club has some important things to say about what ending mountaintop removal would do to the nation’s energy supply and the region’s economy. The new report was prepared for the Sierra Club by the consulting firm Synapse Energy Economics Inc...

Climate Change Bill to Boost Nuclear Plants
The Washington Times- September 1, 2009

Power generators that use coal, the dirtiest and cheapest source of energy, would have to raise their electricity rates to recoup the cost of their carbon dioxide emissions under the bill...Electricity generators...which have large nuclear holdings, could earn an extra $2.6 billion a year each if the bill becomes law, according to Synapse Energy Economics Inc...

Renewables and Energy Efficiency Alone Could Power Michigan
Environment News Service- August 12, 2009

The Synapse report comes as Michigan elected officials and policymakers are taking important decisions regarding the state's energy future. The Michigan Public Service Commission is set to make recommendations to the Department of Environmental Quality on the need for power and availability of cleaner alternatives to coal later this month.

Power Industry Infighting Heats Up Over Climate Legislation
The New York Times- July 16, 2009

"The current provisions basically amount to a $4 billion annual giveaway" to the merchant generators, said Mark Crisson, president of the American Public Power Association, citing a study by Synapse Energy Economics Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., that APPA helped commission. It was released yesterday...The House cap-and-trade bill would create a new kind of currency -- potentially worth $50 billion to $100 billion a year at the start -- in the form of free carbon allocations that permit power generators and factories to discharge carbon emissions without penalty...

Study Says Deregulated Generators Reap Windfall Profits from Climate Bill
The Dallas Morning News- July 15, 2009

The study, written by Synapse Energy Economics, says deregulated generators would include the value of allowances in the price of power, regardless of whether they have to pay for pollution permits or get them for free. This is because generators can do one of three things with the permits: bank them for future years, sell them on the market, or submit them to the government to meet pollution quotas...

Study Reveals New Cap & Trade Winners and Losers
Business Wire- July 15, 2009

A report released today by Synapse Energy Economics, Inc...shows that the impact of new greenhouse gas cap-and-trade policies across the country will vary greatly depending upon how carbon allowances are allocated and the electricity market structure. The study demonstrates that any allocations given to merchant generators in deregulated markets will result in windfall profits without taking any steps to reduce carbon emissions.

Efficiency and Ag Practices Can Achieve Emissions Cuts
SustainableBusiness.com News- May 11, 2009

Efficiency techniques and methods employed by leading states today can cut emissions in the sector by 73% by 2030, according to a report by Synapse Energy Economics...The report, entitled "No Need to Wait," examines the impact of improving efficiency in all 50 states to the level achieved by leading states today. Several leading states already have energy efficiency savings of 2% per year. If all 50 states ramped up programs to this level, these savings alone would help to achieve 73% of the President's GHG targets by 2030.

Report Claims New Coal Plant Will Lead to Higher Rates
The Virginian-Pilot- April 27, 2009

The environmental coalition commissioned the study by Synapse Energy Economics Inc...The report concluded that rising construction expenses, economic uncertainty and the costs of controlling carbon dioxide emissions will lead to unnecessarily high electricity rates for consumers who depend on Old Dominion for their power.

Expert: "Seek Diverse Energy Sources"
Vermont Times Argus Online- February 14, 2009

William Steinhurst, a senior consultant with Synapse Energy Economics, told members of the House and Senate energy committees that Vermont does not need to develop in-state electricity sources to replace the Vernon nuclear facility...Steinhurst told lawmakers that there are benefits to having in-state generation – such as new jobs and a boost to the tax base – but that options outside of the state could include solar, wind, hydro and other renewable sources.

Report Highlights Vital Fact on Energy: Efficiency Gets Cheaper the More you Spend on it
Grist- December 29, 2008

So which "energy efficiency and demand reduction resources" are cost effective? That's what the report from Synapse, one of the most respected consulting firms in the field, investigates.

Report Criticizes Georgia Coal Plant Project
Atlanta Business Chronicle- December 4, 2008

According to the report...the project’s costs are likely to be significantly higher than the consortium anticipates. “This will make the cost of power from Plant Washington more expensive and will make other alternatives, such as energy efficiency and biomass, more economically viable,” David Schlissel, a senior consultant with Synapse Energy Economics Inc., wrote in the report...

Nuclear Cleanup to Cost Billions
Albany Times Union- December 2, 2008

...The report comes during a growing national debate about stepping up nuclear power as a way to cut the greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Critics continue to question the fate of spent fuel, which is dangerous for thousands of years...The report by Cambridge-based Synapse Energy Economics claimed it will cost nearly $10 billion to clean radioactive waste from West Valley over the next 60 years...

Removing West Valley Waste is Best Option, New Study Says
The Buffalo News- December 2, 2008

Excavating and removing the nuclear waste from the site is costly in the short term but cheaper and much safer for residents of Western New York over the long run, according to the first study to look at the full cost of cleaning up the West Valley site....The study was funded by state legislative grants and produced by Synapse Energy Economics of Cambridge, Mass...

The Cap-and-Trade System Beckons
Cleveland Free Times - October 1, 2008

Christopher James, an American consultant with Synapse Energy Economics Inc., argues the province should consider an early partnership with either of the cap-and-trade systems. "If you are sitting at the table when the rules are made you are a player and you have much more influence on what the outcome will be," James said. "If you are sitting on the outside, you will have to accept whatever the rules are. I would recommend folks in New Brunswick look at both RGGI and WCI."...

A Greener City: Powering the Future
San Antonio Express - September 27, 2008

“My recommendation would be they start figuring out a plan to start decreasing their reliance on coal, not increase it,” said David Schlissel of Synapse Energy Economics. ”At some point they are going to have to pay and rates are going to go up a lot.” One scenario is a climate change bill that would immediately charge a fee for every ton of carbon dioxide put out. CPS Energy has forecast a fee of $14 a ton. At that rate, CPS Energy would have to pay nearly $300 million a year...

N.C. to Weigh Alternative to Duke's Save-A-Watt
The Greensboro Business Journal - August 21, 2008

N.C. regulators have agreed to consider a proposal for an independent energy-conservation program offered by opponents of Duke Energy Carolinas' Save-A-Watt program, which would give Duke and its customers incentives to cut the need for power...The proposal cites a recent study by Synapse Energy of Cambridge, Mass. The report cites successes by such independent programs in six states, including New York, Wisconsin and Maine....

Save-A-Watt: Not the Brightest Bulb in the Box
The Independent Weekly - August 6, 2008

All these programs, Synapse reports, seek maximum energy conservation for all households, regardless of income. They do so by using comprehensive programs that combine home renovations, weatherization and electricity-saving devices like fluorescent lighting, automated thermostats and efficient appliances...

A Special Report on the Future of Energy: Dig Deep
The Economist- June 19, 2008

Another report, by a consultancy called Synapse Energy Economics, notes that American power companies are already starting to employ carbon prices in their internal accounting, using a range of $3-61 a tonne. Again, the middle of that range is about $30....

Building More Coal-Fired Power Plants: Big Mistake
Plenty Magazine- April 15, 2008

The coal industry may be a ticking time bomb for energy investors, power companies, and taxpayers, says a new report entitled “Don’t Get Burned: The Risks of Investing in New Coal-Fired Generating Facilities.” Prepared for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, an international coalition of 275 faith-based institutional investors, by Synapse Energy Economics, Inc, the report warns against Bush’s proposal to grant $8 billion in subsidies to coal, and opposes the roughly 130 new US coal-fired power plants slated for construction over the next two decades.

ICCR Report: Coal-Fired Power Plants Facing Risks, Uncertainties, Cost Hikes 'Comparable' to Those That Pulled the Plug on Nuclear Power in U.S.
Sun Herald - February 26, 2008

With rising construction costs, regulatory uncertainties, environmental concerns and other growing risks, the U.S. utilities with more than 100 proposed new coal-fired power plants now face "comparable risks and uncertainties" to those that derailed the U.S. nuclear power industry in the 1970s, according to a major new report prepared by Synapse Energy Economics, Inc....

Dirty Dancing: Cleveland Talks about Going Green But Considers a 50-Year Marriage to Coal
Cleveland Free Times - Feb 20, 2008

He toured the area last week with David Schlissel, the senior consultant with Synapse Energy Economics Inc...Schlissel believes the city should focus more on energy efficiency now, further diversify its portfolio of alternative sources and try to find a company to provide the power it needs for the next decade or two at a better cost than AMP-Ohio. Then CPP will be in a better position to marry...

It's The Economics, Stupid
Grist- February 22, 2008

Synapse Energy Economics has recently put together a report for NRDC that ought to be required reading for anyone who objects to dirty or expensive power (e.g., coal-fired, central station power). The report, entitled "The Risks of Participating in the AMPGS Coal Plant" (PDF), is ostensibly only about a specific 960MW plant that AMP wants to build in Ohio. But their report speaks volumes about the larger economic and environmental challenges to coal-fired central station power...

Big Stone II Costs Debated
The Bemidji Pioneer- January 25, 2008

Energy experts and utility officials disagree over the potential cost of a proposed coal-fueled power plant and related transmission line improvements. Officials from five utilities seeking regulatory approval for the Big Stone II project said Thursday they have used conservative cost estimates. Opponents of the coal-fueled plant said there are market uncertainties that could be significant enough to warrant halting the project ... “It appears that they are trying to get a predetermined result,” said Schlissel, a senior consultant with Massachusetts-based Synapse Energy Economics ...

Opponents of Coal Plant Testify Before Utilities Board
Times-Republican- January 17, 2008

Leaving six Alliant Energy witnesses for later cross-examination, the Iowa Utilities Board Wednesday moved on to the lineup of Consumer Advocate witnesses, all opposed to the proposed building a new coal-fired power plant in Marshalltown. Michael Drunsic, a research associate for the firm Synapse Energy Economics, had argued in documents presented before this week’s hearing in the Iowa Veterans Home’s Whitehall Auditorium that the way Alliant modeled how much wind energy could be generated in the future was too restrictive and thus limited the real possibilities wind could have...

Connecticut Urges Rejection of Long Island Sound Gas Terminal
Environment News Service - Jan 8, 2008

On the other hand, Synapse Energy Economics, Inc., a Boston based consulting firm, released a 2006 report concluding that Broadwater is unnecessary to meet the region's energy needs. The report cites specific examples of how future energy needs can be met through a combination of energy projects already approved, existing renewable energy initiatives, and demand side management techniques...

Anti-Power Plant Group Targets EEC
The Ely Times- October 24, 2007

Nevadans for Clean Affordable Reliable Energy, NCARE, has submitted an analysis of Sierra Pacific Resources, SPR, energy plans for the future to the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, alleging the plan is ignoring major costs that would effect utility customers...The true costs of complying with looming restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, “should be included up-front similar to the way fuel costs are treated,” said the testimony, submitted for NCARE by Ezra Hausman, a senior associate at Synapse Energy Economics ...

Gas Plant Cheaper Than Coal, Panel Told
Arkansas Democrat Gazette - September 13, 2007

It would be less expensive for Southwestern Electric Power Co. to build and operate a natural gas power plant than a coal-fired plant in Hempstead County, a consultant hired by the Arkansas Public Service Commission staff testified Wednesday. David Schlissel, a senior consultant for Synapse Energy Economics Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., conducted studies comparing the cost of the two sources...

Witness Disputes Some Forecasts of Emission Costs
Texarkana Gazette - September 13, 2007

A witness speaking before the Arkansas Public Service Commission on Wednesday disputed Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s cost forecasts for carbon emissions at the proposed Hempstead County power plant. David Schlissel, a senior consultant at Cambridge, Mass., based Synapse Energy Economics , also said the risks involved ...

Docket shows conflict: SWEPCO's Hempstead plant to face number of hot issues
Texarkana Gazette - July 29, 2007

... Looking at the Arkansas Public Service Commission docket for Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s proposed 600-megawatt, coal-fueled electric power plant, it’s clear a number of hot issues are still boiling. The APSC is slated to formally consider the issues surrounding the Hempstead County plant proposal in a public meeting Aug. 9 in Little Rock. This past week, a lawyer representing hunting landowners with property near the proposed site filed a motion to compel consultant David A. Schlissel of Synapse Energy Economics ...

Risky Business: The Outlook for Investing in Nuclear Power
SocialFunds.com - May 10, 2007

... An influential coalition of socially responsible investors and environmental, health, and public interest organizations recently released the report “Why a Future for the Nuclear Industry is Risky” that strongly comes down against the inclusion of nuclear power in the future energy equation. The report argues that nuclear power is not a good investment for people interested either in a healthy return or a healthy planet. The report is based on presentations by Peter Bradford and David Schlissel , both of whom have extensive experience in the technical and governmental aspects of the nuclear power industry. ...

Study Shows Big Job Losses Expected From Electric Rate Hikes, CUB Urges Lawmakers to Roll Back ComEd, Ameren Increases
Citizens Utility Board - Chicago, Illinois, February 19, 2007

... In September, the first auction resulted in an average 26 percent rate hike for ComEd customers and a 40 to 55 percent increase for Ameren customers. However, because of the rate structure adopted, many customers are seeing their bills soar even higher. According to the companies' own data, the combined rate hikes will drain $2.3 billion out of the Illinois economy. The CUB study, conducted in conjunction with Synapse Energy Economics Inc., of Cambridge, MA, uses the results of a state-of-the-art economic model to calculate the effects of such a massive transfer of wealth on state employment....

Broadwater Gas Plant Debate Rages On
The Stamford Times - Norwalk, Connecticut, January 18, 2007

...Synapse senior associate Ezra Hausman said this week the natural gas projected to be brought to the region from the new facilities will be high-priced in response to a global market. Historically, Hausman said, the U.S. domestic market has not been influenced by the natural gas global market because most natural gas consumed in the U.S. came from American and Canadian sources.

But Hausman said with the creation of new LNG facilities, the domestic market will be impacted by global demand and he predicts gas prices to rise over the next ten years. Hausman said Broadwater has made no commitment to sell the terminal's natural gas at low rates, and he believes the company will sell the terminal gas at market rates.....

Town triples appraisal of Connecticut River hydropower dam
Boston Globe - October 10, 2006
... The Moore Dam is currently valued at $103 million, less than smaller dams along the river. When a recent revaluation put the value at $119, town officials questioned the figure. The town set up a Moore Dam committee, which hired Synapse Energy Economics last month to appraise the dam and the 3,500 reservoir behind it. Last week, the committee voted to accept the company's $317 million appraisal....

Hydro's Value Still Up in the Air
Rutland Herald - Rutland, Vermont, August 7, 2006

...Rockingham officials and representatives of TransCanada, the multinational energy giant that purchased the dam and 13 others in bankruptcy court last year, have been discussing a possible deal involving payments in lieu of taxes. Meanwhile, the company earlier this year rejected a $131 million value placed on the property by Synapse Energy Economics of Cambridge, Mass., a firm with experience valuing energy-producing facilities, hired by the town....

More Nuclear Power a Possibility across U.S.
Arizona Daily Star - Tucson, Arizona, August 6, 2006

...Energy economist David Schlissel cited the overruns in testimony opposing Georgia Power's request to charge ratepayers for permitting and licensing costs associated with possible expansion of its nuclear power capacity.
"The actual cost of the (Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant in Burke County, Ga.) was $8.87 billion, or more than 13 times as high as the initial $600 million estimated cost," said Schlissel, who works for the Cambridge, Mass., consulting group Synapse Energy Economics Inc....

Nuclear Power's Missing Fuel
Business Week Online - USA, July 10, 2006
...Historically, utilities did an "abysmal" job controlling building schedules and costs, says David A. Schlissel, an economist at Synapse Energy Economics Inc. in Cambridge, Mass. Between 1975 and 1989, the average period required to complete a plant soared from 5 years to 12. The bill for a group of 75 first-generation plants totaled $224.1 billion (in current dollars), 219% more than estimated, according to a 1986 Energy Dept. study. In time, many utilities collapsed under these debts even as customers' bills soared...

Report: No local need for gas hub
Newsday - New York, NY, United States, March 7, 2006
... The report by Synapse Energy Economics Inc., based in Cambridge, Mass., says, "Having carefully reviewed the project documentation put forth by Broadwater, we find that they have failed to identify any compelling local or regional need for the proposed project that would justify the impact that this project would have on the environmental, economic, recreational and historical value of Long Island Sound….”