NORWICH – The federal electricity congestion study released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Energy highlighted the benefiting region of the New York Regional Interconnection as part of the “Critical Congestion Areas” in the United States.
The report specifically listed a large area from metropolitan New York down to Northern Virginia, along with Southern California, as the spots where congestion problems were most “severe.” The study also outlined several less-problematic “Congestion Areas of Concern” and “Conditional Congestion Areas.”
“The northeast and southwest leapt off the page at them,” said Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Director Kevin Kolevar, speaking of the study’s researchers.
The study states that New York City, Long Island and Southeastern New York will need more transmission and generation facilities by 2008. It also alluded to the federal government playing a larger role in approving transmission facilities.
“For the two areas identified above as Critical Congestion Areas,” the study states, “the Department believes it may be appropriate to designate one or more National Interest Electricity Transmission Corridors.”
In late March, Albany-based New York Regional Interconnect Inc. announced its plan to site and construct $1.6 billion 400,000 volt transmission line from Oneida to Orange County, claiming the line would relieve New York’s downstate congestion.
Since the announcement, thousands along the nearly 200-mile corridor have voiced opposition to the project. Many have questioned the motives and corporate structure of NYRI, and the possible negative effects the power line could have on local economies, environments, and public health.
The power line would cut through 44 miles of Chenango County, the largest stretch within any of the eight counties along the route.
“I think it is important that people don’t give up the fight,” said Donna M. Jones, the county’s planning director who represents Chenango County within Communities Against Regional Interconnect. “If they think this is a set back – it’s not – we still need have to find the one thing that can stop NYRI in their tracks.” Jones pointed out that citizens can provide knowledge on the specifics of area land parcels, some with intricate history’s and resources that could be potential roadblocks.
The next step following the congestion study will be a 60 day public comment period on the impending designation of National Interest Electricity Transmission Corridors. If an area is designated a corridor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could supersede state authority and become the transmission citing agent within a corridor.
Kolevar said corridors will be mapped out in an ongoing process, and he expected the first designations to be made before January.
“The thing about the energy corridor, is that it is not a siting document,” said Chenango County Chamber of Commerce President David Hall. “I’m not so sure the federal government wants to take on something that is totally intrastate. The fight is within the state.”
FERC representative Barbara Connors acknowledged that project’s presented within a corridor were not guaranteed approval from her agency. “If a state does deny a project, and it is within a national interest corridor,” Connors said, “they could come to our agency and make a case – but that doesn’t guarantee anything.”
NYRI was denied a request to the DOE in March that an early corridor designation be awarded to southeastern New York.
In July, NYRI’s Article VII citing application was turned away because it had several deficiencies; including a lack of proof the power line would have reliability benefits for the state’s electricity grid.
The “Congestion Areas of Concern” listed in the DOE report included New England; the Phoenix-Tucson area; the Seattle-Portland area; and the San Francisco Bay Area. The “Conditional Congestion Areas” listed Montana-Wyoming; Dakotas-Minnesota; Kansas-Oklahoma; Illinois, Indiana, and Upper Appalachia; and the Southeast.