ALBANY – Language that was added to this year’s pending state budget could help Chautauqua County’s largest taxpayer from closing its doors. Calling it a “major step forward” for NRG power plant in Dunkirk, Senator Cathy Young (R-Olean) says the language focuses on the benefits of repowering existing electric generation facilities. She added that this development could lead to a positive impact on a future of clean, reliable and affordable power for Dunkirk and all of Western New York.
The Olean republican said that the new development makes progress towards repowering the Dunkirk plant because it requires the Public Service Commission (PSC) to consider the overall benefits of keeping power production in New York State.
Specifically, Young says the budget language codifies into law factors currently being considered by the PSC in studying whether to repower mothballed coal plants, namely the Dunkirk facility and a similar plant in Cayuga.
Young added that a priority of the Senate is to repower existing plants to the cleanest, and most efficient standards for the sake of our environment and our economy. She said that both the governor and the Assembly should be credited for working with the Senate to achieve that goal.
NRG Energy Inc., the current owner of the power plant, is proposing to convert the existing Dunkirk coal facility to an advanced combined-cycle natural gas plant with a generating capacity of at least 440 MW — enough to power approximately 350,000 average homes.
Leave a Reply