Galloo Island Wind Farm transmission line discussion delayed
Watertown Daily News|Nancy Madsen|July 29, 2011
A decision on the transmission line for the proposed Galloo Island Wind Farm is delayed once again as Upstate NY Power Corp., developer for the project, asks to wait until it knows whether it can sell the electricity from the project.
A decision on the transmission line for the proposed Galloo Island Wind Farm is delayed once again as Upstate NY Power Corp., developer for the project, asks to wait until it knows whether it can sell the electricity from the project.
A decision on the transmission line for the proposed Galloo Island Wind Farm is delayed once again as Upstate NY Power Corp., developer for the project, asks to wait until it knows whether it can sell the electricity from the project.
The developer applied for a contract, known as a power purchase agreement, with the New York Power Authority to buy the project's power through NYPA's upcoming Great Lakes Offshore Wind program.
NYPA's decisions on which contractors to go with under that program have been slow to come. They were first promised for December 2010 by outgoing President and CEO Richard M. Kessel.
In April, NYPA staff said …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]A decision on the transmission line for the proposed Galloo Island Wind Farm is delayed once again as Upstate NY Power Corp., developer for the project, asks to wait until it knows whether it can sell the electricity from the project.
The developer applied for a contract, known as a power purchase agreement, with the New York Power Authority to buy the project's power through NYPA's upcoming Great Lakes Offshore Wind program.
NYPA's decisions on which contractors to go with under that program have been slow to come. They were first promised for December 2010 by outgoing President and CEO Richard M. Kessel.
In April, NYPA staff said they were in the final phase of evaluating the options to make recommendations to the board of trustees. Now the final report is expected to go to the board in September.
"Consequently, the applicant requests that the August 4 telephone conference be rescheduled for October 26, 2011, to allow the applicant and other parties time to review the anticipated NYPA staff report," Kevin J. Casutto, administrative law judge on the case, said in a ruling published on Thursday.
The conference call to discuss options will be moved from Thursday to 2 p.m. Oct. 26.
Upstate NY Power Corp. is separating its four options for a transmission line after intense public opposition arose against its preferred overland route that made landfall in Henderson, then ran south through Ellisburg and Richland to a substation in the town of Mexico.
Jefferson and Oswego counties are proponents of an underwater route that runs straight from Galloo Island to Scriba.
Another route would run underwater to landfall in the town of Hounsfield, then go overland along Route 12F to the Coffeen Street National Grid substation.
"I think we've effectively sent the message loud and clear that our absolute preference for that line is to be routed underwater," Legislator Barry M. Ormsby, R-Belleville, said. "And having the backing of our senator and assembly people has also underscored that. That is still the top priority should the project move forward."
State Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, supported a contract for the project if the transmission line is run underwater. Assemblyman Kenneth D. Blankenbush, R-Black River, has voiced a similar position.