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For Immediate Release: 08/11/2022 Rory M. Christian, Chair Contact:
James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
22077/15-F-0122; 17-F-0599; 17-F-0617; 19-F-0366; 16-F-0328
August 11, 2022
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PSC Moves 5 Major Wind and Solar Projects Forward |
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Commission Approves Compliance Filings for 517 MWs Worth of Renewable Energy Projects
ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today approved important compliance filings for five major wind and solar farms in upstate New York, part of the continuing effort of the Commission to spur the development of clean, renewable energy in New York State. The actions taken today were needed before the projects could start certain construction related activities or become operational.
“These solar and wind farms that are being built are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets to combat climate change,” said Commission Chair Rory M. Christian. “These projects benefit all New Yorkers by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, boosting clean-energy investment, creating clean-energy jobs, and improving our environment.”
The compliance filings, considered among the last steps before a project becomes operational, relate to the following projects: Baron Winds, a 242-megawatt (MW) project in the Towns of Cohocton, Dansville, Fremont, and Wayland, Steuben County; East Point, a 50-MW solar farm in the Town of Sharon, Schoharie County; Hecate Albany, a 40-MW solar farm in Town of Coeymans, Albany County; Trelina, an 80-MW solar farm in Town of Waterloo, Seneca County; and Number Three Wind, a 105.8-MW wind farm in the Towns of Harrisburg, Lowville, and Denmark, Lewis County.
The Baron Winds compliance filings relate to the construction of the operation and maintenance facility, as well as security lighting at the facility’s operations and maintenance building site. The East Point compliance filings will allow the developer to initiate construction of the collection substation, switchyard, and related interconnection facilities.
The Hecate Albany compliance filings relate to the sound and noise modeling that will be utilized during all phases of construction and operation which are necessary as the developer prepares to initiate civil construction activities at the project substations and interconnection facility; and the Trelina Solar compliance filings are necessary as the developer prepares to initiate tree clearing and grading construction activities. And finally, the Number Three Wind compliance filings relate to Federal Aviation Administration exterior lighting requirements and other requirements needed to construct and operate a utility-scale wind farm in Lewis County, near the military facility at Fort Drum.
These five projects are among the 17 renewable energy projects approved to date by the Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board). Taken together, solar and wind farm projects approved by the Siting Board will generate more than 2,310 MWs of clean, renewable energy.
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.6 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting nearly 158,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2020, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under the Climate Act, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.
Today’s decisions may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Numbers 15-F-0122 [Baron Winds]; 17-F-0599 [East Point]; 17-F-0617 [Hecate Albany]; 19-F-0366 [Trelina Solar] and 16-F-0328 [Number Three] in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release. |
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