Executive Speeches

Remarks of Louis P. Ciminelli, chairman of the New York Power Authority, at an event unveiling a comprehensive energy-efficiency project in the Albany school district, Arbor Hill Elementary School.

September 4, 2002

Thank you and good afternoon.

It’s a great pleasure to be here to help mark the completion of this $3.2 million energy efficiency project, which will save the Albany City School district—and the taxpayers—some $146,000 a year in electric bills.

Governor Pataki's commitment to energy efficiency is providing an array of benefits for schools and local governments across the Empire State.  And this Albany City Schools project is a great example of coordinated state efforts to help local schools save energy.

The project has been ably administered by the New York Power Authority and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority – two  organizations that have made strong, measurable progress in meeting Governor Pataki’s goals of cleaning the air and protecting the health of all New Yorkers. 

This comprehensive effort has featured the installation of digital controls, boiler instrumentation and an energy management system at 18 school buildings and several other district facilities, including the vocational-technical center and the Adult Learning Center.

I’m pleased to note that nearly a third of the project costs will be covered by a $1 million grant authorized by the Governor’s office from funds provided to the state to compensate for overcharges by the major oil companies back in the 1970s.  That’s certainly a big help. 

The Power Authority has advanced most of the remaining funds and will recover its costs by sharing in the district’s energy savings.  After that, all the savings will stay right here with the district. 

The energy management system will enable facility managers to remotely control—via the Internet—boiler operations and building temperatures to use fuel more efficiently.  And new ventilation controls will help regulate temperatures in classrooms throughout the district.

Here at Arbor Hill, a new chiller has been installed for climate control.  Thanks to NYSERDA for its financial support on this. 

Overall, the various measures will cut the district’s electricity use by more than 289,000 kilowatt hours each year and reduce annual greenhouse-gas emissions by some 173 tons. 

Statewide, the Power Authority invests more than $100 million a year in projects using energy-efficient technologies and clean, new energy sources.  That’s more than 2 1/2 times the total for 1994—the year before Governor Pataki took office.

In Albany County, these projects include about $17 million worth of energy-efficient lighting, motors and other features at facilities such as Empire State Plaza, Albany International Airport and the University at Albany.

Taxpayers save about $3 million a year thanks to these efforts, which also benefit the environment by cutting power plant emissions.

We’re delighted to be building on these initiatives with our work in the Albany school district. 

Thanks for joining us today.

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