Home > About Us > In the News

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

...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....

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...

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.

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.”

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...

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...

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.

"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...

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...

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

...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...

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. 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....

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...

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....

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.

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….”