WHITE PLAINS: Pataki, NYPA Set Sights on Renewable Energy— In his State of the State speech, on Jan. 8, Gov. George E. Pataki said he is directing the New York State Public Service Commission to work with power producers to meet 25 percent of the state's electricity needs with renewable power within the next decade. The goal: "to make New York a national leader" in the use of clean energy sources such as solar and wind power, biomass and fuel cells. On the day after the announcement, the Power Authority held a pre-bid conference for energy developers and generators on its request for proposals for up to 50 megawatts of wind power from existing or new projects. Power deliveries would start on Jan. 1, 2005. Proposals, to be submitted by Jan. 31, will be evaluated on the basis of cost, their economic and environmental impact, and other factors. Final selection is expected by March 31.

MALONE: Energy Upgrade, Solar Panels Slated for Schools—A $1.1 million renewable-power and energy-efficiency project to be undertaken by the Power Authority at the high school, middle school and three elementary schools here will lower the school district's energy expenses by $61,000 annually. The system upgrades are planned for completion in early 2004. A proposed six-kilowatt rooftop solar photovoltaic system would produce about 8,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and offer students a close look at an emission-free renewable energy technology. At the high school, installation of a variable-speed motor will improve the efficiency of an existing fuel burner. Improvements at the middle school include new fluorescent lighting, occupancy sensors and an energy management system to control classroom heating and ventilation. Heating and lighting upgrades are planned for the three elementary schools. A $500,000 grant from New York State's share of Petroleum Overcharge Restitution (POCR) funds will help cover the project's cost.

NEW YORK: NYCHA Refrigerator Program Enters Home Stretch— The Power Authority's pioneering program to replace more than 180,000 aging refrigerators in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) apartments has entered its final year with close to 160,000 high-efficiency units in place in most of NYCHA's 345 developments. With 23,000 deliveries remaining, NYCHA, by far the nation's largest public housing authority, is already saving $5.5 million annually, about $40 for each new refrigerator. The program also avoids almost 67,000 tons of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons and greenhouse-gas emissions annually, and recycling of materials from the old units has saved more than 10,500 tons of steel and significant amounts of aluminum and copper. In partnership with the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, NYPA has begun a similar refrigerator replacement program at the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority and is planning to expand the initiative to other public housing in the state.

ALBANY: NYPA Video Highlights King Legacy at Observance—A Power Authority-produced video commemorating the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have A Dream speech concluded the state's annual King holiday memorial observance at the Empire State Convention Center here on Jan. 20. The video, featuring interviews with Evelyn Cunningham, a retired journalist; and James McMahon, superintendent of the state police, who was a young soldier stationed in Arlington, Va., during the 1963 march on Washington, D.C., was the third created by NYPA for the annual commemoration. Benjamin Hooks, former executive director of the NAACP and a close King associate, was this year's featured speaker. At the conclusion of the video, the Empire State King Interdenominational Mass Choir performed We Shall Overcome. In 2000, NYPA provided financial support for a memorial in honor of King. The glass sculpture, entitled Seeds of Enlightenment, was commissioned by Corning Incorporated. It is on permanent display in the Empire State Plaza's North Concourse.

NORTH BLENHEIM: Educational, Recreational Fun on Tap—February is the month for winter fun at NYPA's Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project visitors center here. A three-day Winter Break series of educational programs for children aged 6 to 11 will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 18-20. The free interactive workshops, which run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature presentations and hands-on activities focusing on dinosaurs (Feb. 18), birds of prey (Feb. 19) and homemade experiments (Feb. 20). Pre-registration is not necessary. For more information, call 1-800-724-0309. In addition, on Saturday, Feb. 22, the visitors center will hold its third annual outdoor recreation day, from noon to 4 p.m., with free demonstrations and exhibits on dog sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, wilderness survival and other winter activities. Food and hot beverages will be available for sale at this indoor-outdoor event.

LEWISTON: NYPA Grants Aid Fire Companies, Health Services— The Power Authority has presented grants totaling more than $19,000 to five Niagara Frontier fire companies and three area health-care organizations to help defray their operating expenses. The annual contributions went to Lewiston fire companies No.1 and No.2 and the Upper Mountain Fire Company, also in Lewiston, and two Niagara Falls-area units, the Niagara Active Fire Company and the Sanborn Fire Company. Health-care facilities receiving grants included the Mount St. Mary's Hospital Foundation, Lewiston, which will allocate the funds for the 2002 Family to Family Appeal, and the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Foundation, which will upgrade equipment in its cardiac unit. Mercy Flight, a medical emergency airlift service in Buffalo, also received a grant. "The Power Authority is pleased to provide financial assistance to these organizations, which provide critical services to the Niagara Project and its employees," said Ron Ciamaga, NYPA's Western New York regional manager.

In the Community: Joanne Willmott, community relations manager, Western New York, spoke to the Lewiston Kiwanis Club, on The New York Power Authority: Benefiting Western New York, Youngstown, Jan. 22….Scott Brown, a NYPA power trader, spoke to the Harrison Rotary Club on How Electric Rates are Determined, Jan. 22….A Power Authority electric vehicle was on display at the Winterfest, Bonds Lake recreation park, Lewiston, Jan. 18….Lori Presti, senior tour guide at the Niagara Power Project, presented energy-education programs to students at Science Enrichment Day at St. Mark's School, Buffalo, Jan. 17….Cathy Blood, senior community relations representative at the Niagara project, was re-elected to the board of directors of Leadership Niagara….Arnold Talgo, of Steuben, a NYPA senior policy analyst, has been elected chairman of the Tug Hill Commission. The nine-person commission works to protect the economy and the environment of a rural 2,100 square-mile area between Lake Ontario and the Adirondacks, including parts of Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida and Oswego counties.