BAINBRIDGE – A proposal aimed at landing a new power generation facility in Bainbridge was passed over Tuesday, meaning the economic opportunities and over 1,500 immediate jobs that it reportedly included will not be coming to Chenango County.

“With all the effort that was put into it,” said Rick Chase, supervisor for the Town of Bainbridge, “it’s very disappointing that we were not chosen.”

According to the plan’s developers, Virginia-based AES Energy, and local officials, the coal-burning facility could have created between $20 to $25 million in annual revenue and a number of economic opportunities for the county as an accessible energy source for new industries.

“I’m very disappointed in the decision,” said Assemblyman Clifford Crouch (R-Guilford), who helped initiate talks between AES and local government and economic leaders. “I thought this site was superior to the other proposals based on its economic benefits and central location in the utility grid.”

AES submitted a bid to the New York Power Authority to upgrade and re-fire its existing Jennison generation plant in the Town of Bainbridge. The plan called for a clean coal burning facility that would have produced just over 500 megawatts of electricity, and held back 90 percent of its carbon monoxide emissions, company representatives said. The new Jennison proposal came in response to Governor George Pataki’s clean coal initiative to produce more affordable energy state-side, using environmentally safe means.