LOCKPORT: Power Allocation Approved for Auto Parts Maker—NYPA trustees have approved an additional 10,000 kilowatts (kw) of low-cost Power Authority hydropower for Delphi Corporation of Lockport, Niagara County’s largest private employer. Described by Gov. George Pataki as “an important investment in the company and the entire Western New York economy,” NYPA’s latest power allocation meets specific criteria intended for revitalization purposes. Delphi already receives 14,300 kw of hydroelectricity, known as expansion power, which is used to manufacture components for General Motors’ automotive heating and cooling systems. Prior to trustee authorization, Delphi’s power allocation from the Niagara Power Project was reviewed and approved by the Western New York Advisory Group, whose members include NYPA, National Grid, Empire State Development Corp., Buffalo Niagara Enterprise and Niagara County Center for Economic Development. Created in 2003, the advisory group works to coordinate the marketing and allocation of NYPA hydropower in Western New York. With the latest allocation, NYPA now supplies 71,000 kw of Niagara hydropower to the automotive industry in Western New York.

TUPPER LAKE: Transmission Line Moves Closer to Reality— Power Authority trustees have taken another step in a state-required environmental review for the installation of a new transmission line to improve power reliability in the Tri-Lakes Region of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and surrounding communities. The trustees have accepted findings under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, signifying that all requirements have been met to determine there is no significant environmental impact. NYPA’s application to the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) for a permit to build the project has been approved by the APA. “The rigorous examination conducted through this environmental review clearly shows the Power Authority has given the utmost care and concern to sensitive ecological conditions in the Adirondack Park,” said Timothy Carey, NYPA president and chief executive officer. Under an agreement unveiled last November by Gov. George Pataki, Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, NYPA and National Grid are working together to improve the electrical system and solve reliability problems in the Tri-Lakes Region caused by increased demand for electricity. For information click on the Tri-Lakes link on NYPA’s web site, www.nypa.gov.

WHITE PLAINS: NYPA Names Black Achiever for 2006— Angela D. Graves has been chosen as NYPA’s Black Achiever in Industry for 2006. She will be honored at the Harlem YMCA’s 36th annual Salute to Black Achievers dinner March 23 in New York City. In the 26 years that Graves has been with NYPA, the Queens resident and single mother of four has seized every opportunity made available to her, rising from receptionist to her current position as NYPA’s deputy secretary. She was cited for her achievements, specifically for her role in heading the corporate secretary’s office, where she is responsible for coordinating preparations for meetings of NYPA’s Board of Trustees and related committees. Graves was also honored in February in Albany as part of Gov. George Pataki’s Tribute to African-American Leaders in State Service.

MARCY: Heroics Recognized at Maynard Fire Department— Paul LeBron of NYPA’s Clark Energy Center, and his partner volunteer firefighter, Jeff Kopec, have been honored by the Maynard Fire Department for their quick, life-saving action on behalf of an elderly Utica man last summer. The two men, preparing to march in Utica’s Fourth of July parade, were called on to help the man after his heart stopped beating. They pumped air into his lungs and applied chest pressure until, after nearly 10 minutes, a pulse returned. Maynard fire officers also recognized NYPA for two decades of financial support, given in return for the department’s first responder role in the event of fire or safety emergencies at the Clark facility, which is the nerve center of NYPA’s statewide operations.

NEW YORK CITY: Energy Project Completed at Hospital— The Power Authority has completed a $1.6 million energy services project at one of Brooklyn’s major medical facilities. Coney Island Hospital will save almost $185,000 a year in energy costs while reducing its electricity usage by nearly 394 kilowatts, equivalent to more than 3,700 barrels of oil per year. The energy-efficiency improvements included installation of new fluorescent lights, room occupancy sensors, and motors to run the facility’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. NYPA staff worked with the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services and the Health and Hospitals Corporation to coordinate the entire project, from an initial audit of the site’s energy use to design and engineering specifications to contracting for construction. nypa also arranges low-cost financing for the city, with payback from cost savings spread over a 10-year period.

In the Community: The Power Authority co-sponsored a free seminar: “Public Art as a Strategic Planning Tool: Shaping Community Identity, Leveraging Funding and Influencing Development” at the Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan, March 8…Adrienne Gable, senior tour guide at the Blenheim-Gilboa project’s visitor center, gave a presentation to the Stamford Rotary on the power project and public events at the visitors center, March 8…The staff at the Niagara project’s visitors center displayed an informational exhibit on the Power Vista at the "Vacation In Your Own Backyard" event, Walden Galleria Mall, Cheektowaga, March 4-5…Kim Byham, principal attorney, spoke to the 40/40 Club on changes in the electric utility industry, Port Chester, Feb. 23.