November 15, 2002—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) recently took a major step forward toward addressing New York City’s future electricity requirements and air-quality concerns, as it officially broke ground for a new generating plant that will lead to the shutdown of the existing Charles Poletti Power Project.
This new power plant will be one of the cleanest and most efficient in the city’s history. Various provisions of the agreement are incorporated in the license certificate, including the shutdown of the Poletti project as early as 2008 and investment by NYPA of an additional $50 million over five years in energy-efficiency and clean-energy projects in Queens and other parts of New York City.
As many as 650 workers, representing nearly 15 local labor unions, are expected to be employed at the peak of the plant’s construction. They’ll be required to use extremely low sulfur fuel and particulate-control technologies in their off-road construction equipment and vehicles to limit emissions and protect air quality. The $650-million plant will burn natural gas, with low-sulfur oil as a backup, and use a sophisticated combined-cycle technology that is cleaner and more efficient than other power plants. It will also be equipped with the most advanced emission controls, allowing it to meet federal air-quality standards by a wide margin.
The plant will provide electricity for, among others, large government customers in New York City and Westchester County, who currently receive their power from the existing oil-and natural gas-fueled Poletti project and other supply arrangements by the Power Authority. Those customers include New York City government, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Port Authority, the City University of New York and various other public organizations whose essential services range from subway and commuter trains to schools and hospitals to street lights. The New York Power Authority is the nation’s largest state-owned public utility. It provides about one-quarter of New York State’s electricity.
