Judge tosses NY's new rules against energy marketers as 'irrational'

A state Supreme Court judge  struck down New York's attempt to clamp down on independent energy service companies with strict new rules, calling the effort "arbitrary'' and "irrational.''  State Supreme Court Justice Henry Zwack, of Albany, vacated new regulations that were announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in February following approval by the state Public Service Commission.  The PSC's decision to restrict the activities of energy marketers, also known as ESCOs, "appears to be irrational, arbitrary and capricious,'' Zwack wrote. Moreover, he said the order that ESCOs comply with the new regulations within 10 days was more than merely burdensome. "It is impossible,'' Zwack wrote. PSC officials today said they would to continue efforts to rein in the ESCOs.