PSC formally dismisses Galloo Island transmission line application

The state Public Service Commission has put the final nail in the coffin of Upstate NY Power Corp.'s Galloo Island Wind Farm transmission line application.

In his order of dismissal, PSC acting Secretary Jeffrey C. Cohen reiterated the fact that Upstate NY had been "afforded a great deal of time to move forward substantively on this application" yet has not made any progress for well over a year.

In January 2009, Upstate NY asked the state to approve construction of a 50.6-mile electric transmission line that would connect the company's proposed 246-megawatt wind farm on Galloo Island, town of Hounsfield, to the Fitzpatrick-Edic Substation in the town of Mexico, Oswego County.

But the ruling process for the transmission line had been delayed several times at Upstate NY Power's request.

"The applicant has not reported any progress or movement on this project since at least late October 2011, when the New York Power Authority (NYPA) denied the applicant's proposal for a power purchase agreement and terminated its Great Lakes Offshore Windfarm (GLOW) initiative," Mr. Cohen said.

Unable to find a customer, the developer floated the idea of selling power to Fort Drum, but the Army did not react publicly to that proposal.

"The potentially affected landowners assert that, due to this pending proceeding, they cannot develop their agricultural business properties until they know if, and in what manner, the proposed project will impact their properties," Mr. Cohen said,

Both the PSC staff and administrative law Judge Kevin J. Casutto had used the same reasoning in their recommendations to dismiss Upstate NY's application.

"The applicant filed no response to staff's counter-motion to dismiss and has filed no interlocutory appeal following issuance of the ruling referring this case to the commission," Mr. Cohen said.

The application was dismissed without prejudice, meaning that Upstate NY would be allowed to file another application in the future.