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| Week of May 23, 2004 |
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ALBANY: Zeltmann Says Private Sector Should Build New Plants— The
Power Authority does "not foresee the need" to build any more new power
plants of its own and expects private developers to provide sufficient
additional generating capacity for the state, NYPA President Eugene Zeltmann
said at the Independent Power Producers of New York's annual legislative
conference here on May 12. He said the Power Authority anticipates that the
most efficient way to meet its future capacity requirements will be to buy
the electricity from private sources "unless we have to build a facility in
response to a compelling public need that is not being fulfilled" by the
private sector. Zeltmann noted that NYPA plans to issue a request for
proposals on June 4 to supply up to 500 megawatts of capacity and sufficient
energy to help serve its government customers in New York City for up to 20
years. As with generation, he said, NYPA "does not foresee building any new
transmission lines unless we perceive that we must do so in response to a
compelling public need." The Power Authority is one of New York State's
leading owners and operators of generating and transmission facilities, with
17 power plants and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines.
Zeltmann said NYPA will continue to play a major role in economic
development and expand its emphasis on energy efficiency and clean new power
sources such as fuel cells and solar panels. SPACKENKILL: NYPA Lighting to Shine in Four Schools— Three elementary schools and one high school here are slated to get new energy-efficient lighting from the Power Authority this summer, saving the Dutchess County school district close to $30,000 in energy costs annually. The work is scheduled to start on June 1. Under the supervision of Power Authority engineers, contractors will work nights in June and double shifts in July and August to install the new lighting—as well as two new ceilings to hold the lighting fixtures—before the schools reopen in the fall. The Power Authority has completed energy-efficiency projects at nearly 2,200 schools and other public facilities across the state, saving taxpayers more than $87 million a year. As at other projects, the Power Authority is financing the $507,000 lighting upgrade and will recover its costs by sharing in the district's electric bill savings. LEWISTON: Concrete Repairs Slated at Niagara Power Project— NYPA is scheduled to begin work in late May on a three-year rehabilitation of the concrete façade of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant at the Niagara Power Project, the state's largest generating facility. Standing 38 stories high above the lower Niagara River, the 43-year-old Moses plant contains 13 massive turbine-generators, which are also undergoing a multiyear upgrade. The repairs to the façade will require rerouting southbound traffic on the Robert Moses State Parkway, which crosses the top of the dam, onto the parkway's northbound section. Lewiston Road (Route 104), which runs adjacent to the parkway, will be minimally affected by the construction, and a hiking trail atop the dam will be altered slightly during the work. The $13 million repair job will continue through November, with more work scheduled to begin in the spring in 2005 and 2006. Repairs have also begun on a fishing platform NYPA erected at the base of the Moses plant in 1989. The fishing pier will be closed for about 45 days as workers disassemble portions of the concrete-and-galvanized-steel structure to correct normal wear and tear. BUFFALO: NYPA Computer Donations Benefit More Students— Since the Power Authority's inaugural donation of 30 computers to the Niagara Falls School District in 2002, NYPA's program to provide surplus computer equipment to public schools has benefited students throughout New York State. In May, the non-profit organization Computers for Children, Inc., received 20 NYPA computers for distribution to Buffalo city schools. Overall, the Power Authority has provided more than 200 gently used, late-model desktop computers to school districts through its program. Senior citizens have also benefited from past donations. Each computer is cleaned and furnished with 64 megabytes of memory. NYPA uses about 1,700 computers in its normal operations and replaces about 400 to 500 computers each year. WOODBURY: NYPA Donates Electric Vehicle for Police Duty— The Woodbury Police Department has added an emissions-free, electric-powered GEM to its fleet of patrol vehicles, thanks to the Power Authority. NYPA President Eugene Zeltmann and state Sen. Bill Larkin presented the GEM to Town Supervisor Sheila Conroy and Chief of Police Robert Kwiatkowski on May 6 at the police department’s headquarters. Larkin contacted NYPA on behalf of Woodbury town officials to secure the electric vehicle for the town. The police department will use the vehicle at the town's shopping centers and parks and at school and other community events. With a top speed of 25 miles per hour, GEMs may be driven on public roads that are posted at 35 miles per hour or less. NYPA has teamed with Global Electric Motorcars, a DaimlerChrysler subsidiary, to provide 300 GEMs to state and local government agencies, parks, and state universities and colleges. MOUNT VERNON: Supplier Diversity Manager Receives Award— The manager of NYPA's Supplier Diversity Program was recently honored by Professional Women in Construction (PWC) at its annual Salute to Women of Achievement. Mount Vernon resident Debra White received PWC's Public Service Achievement award for helping the Power Authority conduct more than $380 million worth of business with minority- and women-owned businesses since 1983. For the last 14 years, White has organized NYPA purchasing exchanges in White Plains and, more recently, in Buffalo and Utica, helping hundreds of minority- and women-owned businesses make professional contacts with corporate and governmental entities. The Power Authority will hold its 14th annual supplier-diversity purchasing exchange at its White Plains office building at 123 Main St. on June 17. (For more information and to register, see www.nypa.gov .) PWC, which works to advance professional, entrepreneurial and managerial opportunities for women and minorities in construction and allied industries, held its awards dinner at the Yale Club in New York City on May 6. In the Community: Tony Savino, account executive, gave a presentation on The Power Authority and Long Island Issues to the Nassau/Suffolk Water Commissioners Association, Hicksville, May 17, and Ed Birdie, public and governmental affairs representative, spoke on the same topic to the Port Washington Rotary Club, May 12.…The Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project visitors center played host to the Otschodela Council Spring Camporee, attended by 500 Boy Scouts from the Capital Region, North Blenheim, May 14-16….The Power Authority contributed $2,000 to the Massena Memorial Hospital during its annual radio telethon and received a certificate of appreciation as a member of the hospital's Spirit of Healing Society, May 13. Al Schriver, regional manager for Northern New York, also presented a check for $50,000 on behalf of NYPA for the hospital's current building project on May 10….The Power Authority conducted electric-vehicle demonstrations at the Schoharie Central School, May 14, and the Springhurst Elementary School, Dobbs Ferry, May 7, and gave Basics of Electricity presentations at St. Mary's Elementary School, Canton, May 13, and the Brushton-Moira Elementary School, May 12….Details of this summer's Lewiston Jazz Festival are available on the web at www.lewistonjazz.com . The Power Authority provided direction and artwork for the website and has been a major sponsor of the festival since its inception. |