The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) announced today that it will be holding a public statement hearing to receive public comment on options available to Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid (National Grid)  to address electric reliability concerns should the Dunkirk coal-fired electric generating facility in Dunkirk, NY, be retired.

On January 17, 2013, the Commission instituted a proceeding to examine options to address local electric reliability needs presented by the mothballing of two coal-fired electric generating facilities — one in Dunkirk, NY, owned by NRG Energy Inc. and one owned by Cayuga Operating Company, LLC.  One alternative being examined is the conversion from coal to gas (known as repowering) of the Dunkirk and Cayuga facilities.  The costs of any conversion would be paid by the interconnected utilities, National Grid for Dunkirk and New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG) for the Cayuga facility.

The Commission directed National Grid to evaluate repowering Dunkirk as an alternative outcome to transmission reinforcements should Dunkirk be mothballed and required NYSEG to do the same for the Cayuga generating station.  The companies are examining the relative costs and benefits of repowering the plants at their existing sites compared to the costs and benefits of installing transmission reinforcements.  National Grid has completed its evaluation and has submitted a report to the Commission.

A copy of National Grid’s “Report and Recommendation Comparing Repowering of Dunkirk Power LLC and Transmission System Reinforcements,” filed May 17, 2013, as well as other documents related to the case, is available on the Department of Public Service web site at http://www.dps.ny.gov under the above-captioned case number.

A second public hearing will be convened, on a day and time to be announced, in the Ithaca area to address the available options to NYSEG should the Cayuga facility be mothballed.  

Public Statement Hearing

The public will have an opportunity to present their comments at the hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.  A verbatim transcript of the hearing will be made for inclusion in the record of the proceeding.

The public statement hearings will be held as follows:

MONDAY, July 15, 2013

 SUNY Fredonia

Williams Center, Multipurpose Room

280 Central Avenue

Fredonia, NY  14063

6:00 p.m. – Public Information Forum

7:00 p.m. – Public Statement Hearing

During the public information forum, the New York State Department of Public Service Staff will provide a brief overview of the purpose of the proceeding and next steps; National Grid will provide a brief description of the transmission reinforcements and a summary of its Report; and NRG Energy will provide a description of the proposed repowering of the Dunkirk facility.  A question and answer period will follow the presentations.

It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance or to present written material in order to speak at the public statement hearing.  Speakers will be called after completing a card requesting time to speak.  Disabled persons requiring special accommodations may place a collect call to the Department of Public Service’s Human Resources Management Office at (518) 474-2520 as soon as possible.  TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711 to reach the Department of Public Service’s Human Resource Office at the previously mentioned number.  If you have difficulty understanding English, please call the Department at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release. 

Other Ways to Comment

Internet or Mail:  In addition to the formal hearings, comments may be sent electronically to the Acting Secretary, at secretary@dps.ny.gov, or mailed or delivered to Hon. Jeffrey C. Cohen, Acting Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.  Your comments should refer to “Case 12-E-0577 – Proceeding to Examine Repowering Alternatives to Utility Transmission Reinforcements.”

Toll-free Opinion Line:  Comments may also be submitted through the Commission’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This number is designed to take comments about pending cases from in-state callers, 24 hours a day.  Callers should select English or Spanish and press "1" to leave comments about Case 12-E-0577 – Repowering Proceeding.