NEWS
|
NYPA Transmission Crews to Help With Emergency Cleanup And Power Restoration In Western New York Contact October 16, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LEWISTON―About 30 New York Power Authority (NYPA) transmission line workers have been dispatched to Western New York from three facilities in other upstate regions following last Thursday’s unprecedented, early October snowstorm in the Buffalo Niagara region. Other personnel and equipment from NYPA’s Niagara Power Project here are also available to assist in the emergency. “NYPA linemen from around the state and Niagara project personnel will help in the unified cleanup efforts lead by Governor Pataki and such area officials as Congressman Tom Reynolds, Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, as federal, state and local governments respond to the emergency conditions and work with the local utilities toward restoring electricity and heat for the thousands of people remaining without these critical services,” said Timothy S. Carey, NYPA president and chief executive officer. “The Power Authority has a special relationship with Western New York with the operation of our giant hydroelectric project on the Niagara River, and we want to do everything we can to support the cleanup efforts spearheaded by the Governor in response to this devastating storm.” Early Monday morning, three crews of NYPA volunteers left for Western New York, equipped with manlift trucks, chain saws, wood chippers and other equipment, to help clear away fallen trees, branches and other debris, and assist in repairing local-utility distribution lines. They’ll work closely with the New York State Office of Emergency Management, which is leading the recovery efforts under Governor Pataki. The three transmission crews consist of seven employees from the Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Project in the Northern Catskills, 12 employees, including one mechanic, from the St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Project in Massena, and 11 staff members from the Frederick R. Clark Energy Center in Marcy, which serves as the hub of NYPA’s statewide operations. The crews are expected to remain in Western New York for the entire week. Power Authority transmission crews have responded to weather emergencies in the past. In January 1998, personnel were mobilized from around the state following a series of ice storms affecting Northern New York. And in October 1989, NYPA linemen helped the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority restore electric service cut off by Hurricane Hugo.
About NYPA: ■ NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. ■ NYPA is a leader in promoting energy-efficiency, new energy technologies and electric transportation initiatives. ■ It is the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, with 18 generating facilities in various parts of the state and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines.
|