50 MW Clean Energy Project Will Produce Enough Clean Electricity for 8,000 Average-Sized Homes Annually to Combat Climate Change

Project Expected to Create 123 Construction Jobs Paying $6.4 Million in Wages

Advances New York State’s Aggressive Clean Energy and Climate Goals for 70 Percent of

Energy to Come from Renewable Energy Sources by 2030

ALBANY — The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) today granted approval to East Point Energy Center, LLC to build and operate a 50 megawatt (MW) solar farm in the Town of Sharon, Schoharie County. The Siting Board’s decision follows a detailed review and robust public participation process to ensure that the solar farm meets or exceeds all siting requirements. This solar farm and other solar and wind projects currently under development are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (CLCPA) aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets to combat climate change.

“With this action, we continue to deliver on Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s nation-leading strategy for carbon reduction and a clean-energy economy, and to develop new clean energy resources in New York,” said Siting Board Chair John B. Rhodes. “This approval of the East Point Energy Center will benefit all New Yorkers by reducing dependence on fossil fuels, boosting clean energy investment and jobs and improving our environment.” 

According to the developer, the 50 MW project is expected to create 123 construction jobs that will pay $6.4 million in wages, as well as opportunities for local construction and construction supply vendors. The solar farm will result in annual payments to local landowners through lease and easement agreements.

The facility will be located on approximately 1,300 acres of privately leased land. The project will provide economic benefits by creating jobs and will provide revenues for participating landowners through lease and other agreements.

The solar farm will deliver electricity to the bulk electric transmission system owned by National Grid with a point of interconnection at the existing Sharon-Marshville 69-kilovolt transmission line. In addition, the project will entail the construction of internal infrastructure including, among other things, collection and transmission lines, access roads, inverters, transformers, fencing, and an operations and maintenance building.

The Siting Board members determined that the solar farm will be consistent with the energy policies and long-range planning objectives and strategies contained in the most recent State Energy Plan. Based on this, and based on its consideration of other relevant social, economic and other factors, the Siting Board determined that the project will be a beneficial addition to the electric generation capacity of the State, and will also serve the goals of improving fuel diversity, grid reliability, and modernization of grid infrastructure.

East Point’s formal application to the Siting Board was deemed compliant on January 30, 2020. The 15 parties to the proceeding included the local municipality and several state agencies. The record includes 30 public comments. The Siting Board held an on-the-record public statement hearing and expert and factual testimony was taken into the record during the proceeding. The municipality that sought intervention in the case received $50,000 in intervenor funds to participate in the development of the record.

Today’s decision demonstrates how New York is working to achieve Governor Cuomo'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 CLCPA, New York is on a path to achieving 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 ramp-up of clean energy including a $3.9 billion investment in 67 large-scale renewable projects across the state, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector, a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, and 1,800 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while meeting a goal to deliver 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities, and advancing progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 TBTUs.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Documents section of the Department of Public Service’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 17-F-0599 (East Point Energy) in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number." Siting Board 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 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.