NYRI threatens to pull plug on power-line project
New York Regional Interconnect, Inc. (NYRI) may pull the plug on its planned 195-mile power line if the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission doesn’t reach a decision on the project soon.
NYRI wants the commission to speed up its process and make a decision on approving the plan by March, according to a Feb. 2 motion from NYRI.
“NYRI’s investors have in the last two-and-a-half years spent over $18 million in engineering costs, right-of-way acquisitions, and state and federal regulatory proceedings with no guarantee that they will have a reasonable opportunity like every other utility-transmission owner in New York to recover their investment,” the motion reads. “Unless the commission grants the requested rehearing or clarification, it is unlikely that large-scope, technologically-innovative, congestion-reducing projects like the NYRI project will be built because there will be no way to recover a return of and on the investment.”
The line would relieve some of the most congested power interfaces in the state and give southeastern New York electricity from wind, water, and other renewable resources located Upstate, according to NYRI.
NYRI is the privately owned corporation that plans to finance, construct, and maintain the high-voltage power line between National Grid’s substation in the town of Marcy and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.’s substation in the town of New Windsor in Orange County.
NYRI first filed an application for the project in May 2006 with the state Public Service Commission.
The proposed line would run through portions of Utica, New Hartford, Clayville, Cassville, and Waterville en route to New Windsor. It would supply power to the New York City area.
By Traci Gregory
Central New York Business Journal
5 February 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
Some possibly related stories:
The copyright of this article is owned by the author or publisher indicated. Its availability here constitutes a "fair use" as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law as well as in similar "fair dealing" exceptions of the copyright laws of other nations, as part of National Wind Watch's effort to advance understanding of the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development. For more information, click here.
