February 11, 2011
New York

Kessel: Galloo won’t get pact

By NANCY MADSEN, TIMES STAFF WRITER, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011, watertowndailytimes.com

The New York Power Authority won’t offer a power purchase agreement to Galloo Island Wind Farm, Richard M. Kessel, president and CEO said Wednesday.

The developer of the wind farm, Upstate NY Power, told participants in a Public Service Commission conference call Jan. 26 that it was seeking an agreement with NYPA. That would allow the project to gain necessary financing to proceed and, depending on the terms, possibly allow an underwater transmission line from the island to Scriba.

“I have not directly heard from anyone at Galloo Island in over a year,” Mr. Kessel said.

But the developer may have applied for an agreement through NYPA’s Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project. If they applied for NYPA’s offshore project, it would be a land-based facility.

“They could apply,” he said. “I don’t know whether they have or haven’t. I am not involved in the procurement process.”

Mr. Kessel said in May that wind power projects in Jefferson County wouldn’t get power purchase agreements after the county’s Board of Legislators voted in March to oppose the offshore wind project, which possibly included some off Jefferson County’s shores.

“I was disappointed they voted to oppose the project,” he said. “There are no hard feelings and if we can help Jefferson County in any way possible, we want to do that.”

Mr. Kessel said he has told local public officials that NYPA is focusing solely on the offshore wind project and can’t offer Galloo Island Wind Farm a separate contract. No other wind power projects have approached NYPA, he said.

Upstate NY Power told the PSC that NYPA is the only entity in upstate New York that can grant a contract.

The developer is separating its four options for a transmission line after intense public opposition rose against its preferred overland route that made landfall in Henderson, then ran south through Ellisburg and Richland to a substation in the town of Mexico.

Jefferson and Oswego counties are proponents of an underwater route that runs straight from Galloo Island to Scriba. Another route would run underwater to landfall in the town of Hounsfield, then go overland along Route 12F to the Coffeen Street National Grid substation.

The PSC asked the developer to provide a cost comparison over the winter months, but Upstate NY Power still won’t have an analysis done until April. The commission will host a final conference call at 2 p.m. April 14 to report the status of a power purchase agreement and analysis of the four possible routes.