ALBANY: Governor Announces Expansion of NYPA’s Peak Load Management Program—Governor George E. Pataki announced on July 26 that NYPA trustees have doubled the $1 million-a-year set aside for the Power Authority’s Peak Load Management (PLM) program to help reduce New York City electricity use. “By working together with our partners in the private and public sectors to reduce energy use during peak-demand periods,” Pataki said, “we can help to ensure reliable supplies of power and promote stable electric rates.” The expansion will enable a reduction of New York City electricity consumption on the hottest summer days by up to 50,000 kilowatts, and followed Consolidated Edison’s news that on the previous day, July 25, at 2 p.m. the utility experienced the greatest electricity demand in its history. Under the two-year-old program, NYPA customers ranging from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to New York City government, Mount Sinai Hospital and Salomon Smith Barney receive $40 for each kilowatt of electricity they commit to save when NYPA requests cutbacks in use.

WASHINGTON, D. C.: Zeltmann Boosts EVs in Senate Testimony—Tax legislation concerning alternative-fuel vehicles would encourage purchase of electric, hybrid and fuel cell cars, trucks and buses (EVs) nationwide, the Power Authority’s president, Gene Zeltmann, said before a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee seeking ways to reduce petroleum use within the nation’s transportation sector. In his mid-July testimony, Zeltmann, co-chairman of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas, noted the success of New York State’s clean-fuel vehicle incentives initiated by Governor George Pataki, including tax credits, state bond act financing for mass transit clean-fuel vehicles and an Executive Order directing all state fleet vehicles to be clean-fueled by 2010. Zeltmann also backed legislation proposed by New York Rep. Sherwood Boehlert for a federal cost-share program to introduce EV technologies nationwide; endorsed development by utilities, industry and the U.S. Department of Energy of a secondary market for used EV batteries to lower EV costs; called for an amendment to an existing law to assist utilities in converting portions of their fleets to alternative fuel use; and recommended public-private-sector partnerships to accelerate development of hydrogen infrastructure for fuel-cell vehicles.

WHITE PLAINS: NYPA To Issue RFP For Additional Power, Installed Capacity—The Power Authority will issue a request for proposals (RFP) on Aug. 7 to solicit bids for the purchase of additional power, installed capacity and related services beginning in 2004. A bidders conference is scheduled for Thursday, August 16 in White Plains with responses to the RFP due Thursday, Aug. 30. The RFP is prompted by the expiration of the contract between NYPA and Entergy Corp. concerning the output of the FitzPatrick and Indian Point nuclear plants, which the Authority sold to Entergy last year. Most of the power from the two plants is used for economic development initiatives and state and local government facilities. Contact Jordan Brandeis (e-mail: jordan.brandeis@nypa.gov ), Director of Supply Planning, New York Power Authority, 123 Main Street, 10th floor, White Plains, NY 10601 to request a copy of the RFP.

NORTH BLENHEIM: NYPA Project’s 1,800-foot Berm to Counter Earth Movement Threat—Possible earth movement within a 3,000-by-2,500-foot portion of Brown Mountain, in close proximity to the Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped-Storage Power Project, has prompted construction of an earthen berm at the mountain’s base. The potential slide threatens stability of several transmission lines, and could possibly hinder access to the project. Crews are “borrowing” some 240,000 cubic yards of shale and sandstone from nearby project lands for construction of the two-terraced berm along the mountain’s base. Remediation work will be completed next year. The project also includes redirecting various small streams over an 80-acre portion of the mountain to limit recharging of groundwater, which increases the possibility of a slide.

MASSENA: NYPA Trustees Approve North Country 800-Acre Land Transfer—A resolution approving conveyance to local St. Lawrence County governments of close to 800 acres of St. Lawrence-FDR project land not needed by NYPA for operational, environmental or recreational purposes was passed by Power Authority trustees at their regular July meeting on July 24. In a May announcement in Louisville, Governor George Pataki said the land transfer came “with no strings attached. It’s for the local government and the local people.” The lands, originally acquired by NYPA for creation of the project, will be transferred to Waddington (670 acres), Massena (67 acres), Louisville (40 acres) and Lisbon (4 acres).

HOWE’S CAVE: NYPA, Howe’s Caverns Join in Free Gas Promotion—Two Schoharie County neighbors, the Power Authority’s Blenheim-Gilboa (B-G) Pumped Storage Power Project Visitors Center and Howe Caverns—New York State’s second most popular natural attraction—will offer free-gas gift cards worth $5.00 to guests who visit both county landmarks within seven days. The B-G visitors center, housed in a restored 19th century dairy barn overlooking Schoharie Creek, features hands-on exhibits and displays dramatizing how water generates electricity at one of the world’s largest pumped storage generating facilities. At Howe Caverns, guests enjoy an 80-minute underground walk and boat tour of a stunning world of limestone formed millions of years ago. The water from both sites eventually converges at nearby Central Bridge. The gift card is redeemable at any Stewart’s Shop gasoline station.

MASSENA: St. Lawrence-FDR Project Logs 5 Millionth Visitor—Massena resident Justin Rufa and his family expected to review more than 40 new exhibits and displays, murals and maps of the St. Lawrence Valley and of Jacques Cartier’s historic explorations at the renovated St. Lawrence-FDR project’s renovated visitors center on July 23. He did not expect a hearty welcome from NYPA officials and a gift desk lamp featuring an antique electric meter—to commemorate his special status as the center’s 5 millionth visitor since doors first opened in 1958. The admission-free center and observation deck more than 100 feet above the St. Lawrence River draw about 120,000 guests a year.

In the Community: A Power Authority exhibit and electric vehicle was scheduled to be on display at the Niagara County Fair, Lockport, Aug. 1-5 and at the Fleet Water Fest, sponsored by the Center for Great Lakes Environmental Education in Buffalo, Aug. 3-4… Over 750 people attended the Antique Bottle and Insulator Club's third annual outdoor swap meet held at the Blenheim-Gilboa project visitors center, July 28… The Blenheim-Gilboa project visitors center played host to the Latham Kiwanis Club's meeting, July 26…. NYPA staff updated Staten Island Community Board #1 on the gas turbine generators that the Authority is installing in New York City, July 19…. Bill Siddon, community relations representative in Northern New York, displayed an exhibit on the St. Lawrence-FDR project visitors center and conducted a demonstration on static electricity at the "Fun Science Kids Day" held at the St. Lawrence Centre Mall in Massena, July 18.