NYPA Power to Assist Redevelopment of Manhattan Waterfront at Hudson River Park

Contact
Connie Cullen
914-390-8196
connie.cullen@nypa.gov

January 27, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHITE PLAINS—The Trustees of the New York Power Authority (NYPA) today approved a power contract with the Hudson River Park Trust. The Trust is responsible for development and operation of Hudson River Park on Manhattan’s west side shoreline. Authorization for this proposed contract will now be sent to Governor George E. Pataki for his consideration.

“By using NYPA’s lower cost electricity, Hudson River Park will now shine not only brightly but economically, too, as part of Governor Pataki’s commitment to revitalizing Manhattan’s waterfront,” said Louis P. Ciminelli, chairman, New York Power Authority. “Hudson River Park joins public facilities throughout New York City using Power Authority electricity which saves taxpayers hundreds of millions each year on their municipal electric bills.”

The Hudson River Park Trust, a New York State and New York City partnership, is charged with the design, construction and operation of Hudson River Park. The Hudson River Park Trust is a public benefit corporation in the metropolitan area of New York, and is therefore eligible for Power Authority service. Hudson River Park will realize savings of about 20 to 25 percent on its annual electric costs by using Power Authority electricity as compared with market prices. The Park’s electricity is currently supplied by Consolidated Edison.

“The significant savings achieved using the Power Authority’s lower cost electricity will assist Hudson River Park in bringing Governor Pataki’s and Mayor Bloomberg’s vision of free public recreational activities and events to the local community,” said Connie Fishman, president, Hudson River Park Trust.

Hudson River Park will be a 550 acre park stretching five miles along Manhattan’s west side shoreline from the Battery to 59th St. The Park is being developed in seven segments. The first segment, Segment 4, in Greenwich Village, opened in spring 2003. Currently under construction in the Park is Segment 7, the northernmost section of the Park and the first to be developed in the city-owned portion of the Park. Its completion is scheduled for spring 2005.

Hudson River Park will include a wide array of active and passive recreational areas for activities such as boating/kayaking/rowing, playgrounds, wide open lawns for relaxation, sports fields, biking, golf, batting cages, dog runs, food concessions and restaurants, areas for special events and ecological learning, and much more including several “get downs” which are ramps leading down to large railed floating docks to allow the public to get closer to the water’s edge. When fully completed, Hudson River Park will have 13 public park piers, a continuous waterfront esplanade, numerous places for active and passive recreation and boating, and three commercial development nodes.

With Segment 4 in Greenwich Village complete, the present Park load is about 50 kW. As the park is developed over the next several years, its electric demands are expected to grow, and upon completion, is estimated to have a load of about 500 kW. The Park will be a full requirements customer meaning that, upon approval by the Governor, NYPA will meet the existing and future full electricity requirements of Hudson River Park’s public facilities and infrastructure.

Among other government customers whose essential services depend on economical NYPA electricity are the City of New York, the New York City Housing Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Using NYPA electricity saves taxpayers and rate payers annual savings of hundreds of millions of dollars in municipal electric costs.