Power For Jobs Helps Little Falls Hospital
Contact Michael Saltzman (914)-390-8181 michael,saltzman@nypa.gov
May 9, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LITTLE FALLS— Joseph J. Seymour, chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Power Authority, today officially conveyed an allocation of low-cost Power for Jobs electricity to the Little Falls Hospital.
Seymour, a native of Herkimer County, said, "Governor Pataki established the Power for Jobs program to provide lower-cost energy to employers throughout the state. I'm happy to be here today to announce this allocation that will help Little Falls Hospital continue to provide high-quality health care to the citizens of the Mohawk Valley."
Power Authority trustees recently approved the allocation of 200 kilowatts (kw) of electricity to Little Falls Hospital, which pledged to retain 540 jobs in return for the power. The hospital will save approximately $24,000 a year on its electricity bills from the allocation.
"Since Governor Pataki first enacted Power for Jobs in 1997, it has grown to protect more than a quarter of a million jobs throughout the state," said Seymour. "This is clearly one of the Empire State’s most successful economic development initiatives."
"This allocation of lower cost power could not come at a better time," said David S. Armstrong Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Little Falls Hospital, noting that the health care facility has been looking for ways to cut costs. "I’d like to thank the Power Authority, Senator James Seward and, especially, Little Falls Mayor Ted Wind, who encouraged us to submit the application for the power."
"The low-cost electricity provided by Power for Jobs is now helping 54 hospitals across the state save more than $8 million a year and protect over 96,000 health care jobs," said Sen. Seward, who, as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, led legislative efforts to create the Power for Jobs program in 1997.
Little Falls Hospital now joins a number of other Herkimer County employers receiving Power for Jobs electricity. They include Burrows Paper Corp., and Feldmeier Equipment Inc., both of Little Falls; Curtains and Fabrics Inc. of Herkimer; Faster Form Corp., and Granny's Kitchens of Frankfort; and Fermer Precision of Ilion.
"By helping to save and create jobs in manufacturing, heath care and other fields, Power for Jobs is playing an important role in the Mohawk Valley economy," said Assemblyman Mark Butler.
"I was pleased to lend my support to Little Falls Hospital’s application for this low-cost electricity. Governor Pataki, Senator Seward and Assemblyman Butler deserve a great deal of credit for creating the Power for Jobs program to help Little Falls Hospital and others meet the challenge of reducing their energy costs," said Congressman Sherwood Boehlert.
Governor Pataki and the state legislature last year provided for an additional 300,000 kw of power for current and new Power for Jobs recipients. This followed the allocation of 450,000 kw made available in the first three years of the program. Last year’s legislation authorized employers receiving Power for Jobs allocations awarded in 1997-98 and expiring in 2000-2001 to apply for re-allocations of the lower cost power. New applications for first-time allocations, such as the one to Little Falls Hospital, were also authorized. The lower cost electricity is provided from power NYPA has under contract from the FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Project and through a competitive bidding process involving other power suppliers.
Overall, Mohawk Valley participants served by Power for Jobs and other Power Authority electricity provide over 12,000 jobs. And various municipal and rural electric cooperative systems in the region receive low-cost NYPA electricity for more than 1,200 businesses that employ thousands of people.
In addition, NYPA energy-efficiency measures at public facilities in the Mohawk Valley have cut their electric bills by over a half million dollars a year, reducing the burden on taxpayers.
