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| Week of August 24, 2003 |
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NYPA Hydroelectric Projects Help Speed Recovery From Blackout— When a
cascading power failure blacked out large sections of the United States and
Canada on Aug. 14, the Power Authority's large hydroelectric projects on the
Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers remained in continuous operation, pumping
out a steady stream of electricity that was essential for restoring the
state's electrical system. During the early hours of the outage, the Niagara
project, the state's largest generator, in Lewiston and the St. Lawrence-FDR
project in Massena were the only major power plants still running in New
York State. On that night, with the Power Authority's Blenheim-Gilboa pumped
storage project in Schoharie County and various smaller generating
facilities operated by NYPA also contributing, the Authority at times
supplied nearly half of the state's total electricity load. Downstate,
NYPA's Charles Poletti Power Project in Queens and its small natural
gas-powered plants in New York City and on Long Island helped local
utilities restore service. As the recovery continued, NYPA helped maintain
the stability of the grid by adjusting the output of its facilities to
balance the growth in electricity demand. NEW YORK: Hearings Scheduled on Small In-City Power Plants— The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has scheduled public hearings in September in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens and on Staten Island and Long Island on the New York Power Authority's applications for federal operating permits for its small, clean electric generators in those areas. The DEC issued permits in January and February 2001 allowing construction and initial operation of the natural gas-fueled plants, which began producing electricity that summer to meet a critical need in the downstate region. The new permits are required under the federal Clean Air Act. Draft permits prepared by the department's staff are intended to assure compliance with all state and federal air-pollution regulations while imposing the strictest possible emissions limits. Located at six sites in New York City and one in Brentwood, Suffolk County, the NYPA generators allow operators to run older power plants less often, thus improving air quality. For more information, call Luis Rodriguez at (888) 697-2332 or send an e-mail to luis.rodriguez@nypa.gov LEWISTON: Relicensing of Niagara Project Enters New Phase—The Alternative Licensing Process now under way to relicense NYPA's Niagara Power Project is entering a new phase as public comments are considered and studies commence on the hydroelectric facility's socioeconomic and environmental impacts. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which has the authority to issue licenses for hydro projects, held two public meetings on the Niagara project relicensing at Niagara Falls High School on Aug. 13. Interested parties have until Oct. 15 to submit written comments on the project's operations, its impact on the local community and NYPA's plans to renew its 50-year license, which expires on Aug. 31, 2007. Approximately two dozen people attended each of the Aug. 13 meetings, and their comments—along with input provided by more than 100 stakeholders who have been meeting since the beginning of the year—will be used to plan studies on the project and its role in Western New York. The studies are expected to conclude next year, and their results will be incorporated into an Applicant-Prepared Environmental Assessment, which NYPA will submit to FERC along with its license application. NEW YORK: Energy Services Boost Efficiency at NYPD Facilities— Counterterrorism training has intensified at the New York Police Department's (NYPD) Police Academy here, and NYPA Energy Services crews are working to ensure that the academy can handle the growth in its electrical demand. Electrical upgrades—new wiring, conduits, motors and control equipment—are scheduled to start in September, and the installation of high-efficiency lighting, room sensors, steam traps and an energy management system is planned. Since 2001, the Power Authority has completed or scheduled work at 50 precincts. The NYPD will realize more than $1.1 million a year in energy savings through the $10.5 million program. As with its other Energy Services projects, NYPA will recover its costs by sharing in the savings. MASSENA: Work Begins on Local Recreational Improvements—As the countdown continues toward federal approval of a new license for the Power Authority’s St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project, work has already begun on recreational improvements proposed as part of the hydroelectric project's application. The original 50-year license at St. Lawrence-FDR expires Oct. 31. In July, NYPA trustees approved the hiring of C&S Companies, a Syracuse engineering firm, to start design work on $8 million in renovations to local parks and beaches in Louisville, Massena and Waddington. The design stage of the effort is expected to be completed by the middle of next year; the local park improvements are slated for completion within three years. The improvements will include new and refurbished restrooms, boat launches, playgrounds and parking lots as well as expanded handicapped access at various sites. BROOKLYN: Emergency Officials Obtain Non-polluting Vehicles— The Power Authority is helping the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to improve the city's air quality by replacing part of the agency's vehicle fleet with zero-emission Toyota RAV4s. NYPA helped place six of the off-lease electric vehicles with OEM, a NYPA electricity customer, at its Brooklyn offices. (The agency moved there after its offices were destroyed in the World Trade Center bombing). The Power Authority also covered the expense of installing charging stations at the Brooklyn site. OEM's department of administration is using the vehicles to take personnel to and from appointments within the vehicles' 70-mile range. The deliveries to OEM brought to 136 the number of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles the NYPA has helped place in service at New York City agencies and other municipal institutions. In the Community: The Power Authority and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation joined with members of the Army National Guard's 204th Engineering Battalion to break ground for a new soccer field at Mine Kill State Park, North Blenheim, Aug. 18. NYPA developed the 650-acre park in conjunction with its adjacent Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project, and the Authority provides funds for the park's maintenance.…A total of 139 people participated in the 15th annual St. Lawrence-FDR Family Bicycle POWER Tour, Robert Moses State Park, Massena, Aug. 16. The first-place winners in various age categories each won a bicycle.…The Power Authority co-sponsored the annual Festival of North Country Folklife, focusing on the area's rich traditions and what life was like years ago, Massena, Aug. 9….NYPA electric-drive vehicles were on display at the Rambler Centennial Celebration at the Old Stone Fort Museum, Schoharie, and the Erie County Fair, Hamburg, Aug. 16; the Lewiston Art Festival, Aug. 9-10; the Mount Hope Housing Corporation's annual summer festival, Echo Park, Bronx, Aug. 9; the Village of Youngstown Concert Series, Aug. 8; the Howe's Caverns Summer Series, Howes Cave, Aug. 8-9; the Pine Avenue Concert Series, Niagara Falls, Aug. 7; and the 20th annual National Night Out Against Crime community event in the 114th Precinct, Astoria Park, Queens, Aug. 5….NYPA presented informational exhibits at the Cobleskill Sunshine Fair, Aug. 7….The Power Authority's White Plains office played host to the State Employee Federated Appeal's recognition awards ceremony, Aug. 7….Employees at NYPA's White Plains office donated 52 pints of blood during a drive coordinated by the Hudson Valley Blood Services, Aug. 6. |