Redundancy could hurt NYRI opposition

NORWICH – The New York State Public Service Commission called the circumstances surrounding the New York Regional Interconnect Inc. power line case “extraordinary” and “unusual,” in a ruling issued by the agency Monday.

However, the state’s transmission siting authority also referred to recent arguments provided by several of the NYRI opposition groups as “repetitive,” warning that a pattern of recycled evidence in the future could cause the review process to become expensive and inefficient.

www.evesun.com/topics/news/NYRI/">NYRI is an Albany-based developer proposing to construct a 190 mile-long, 1,200 megawatt power line from Oneida to Orange County, in what company officials say is an effort to alleviate downstate electricity constraints. The line would traverse 44 miles of Chenango County.

“Our initial review of the opposition responses to the NYRI waiver motion shows substantial overlap and repetition of the same substantive points,” the ruling states. “We urge the parties to take note that the strength or the merit of an argument is not often fortified by its mere repetition.”

The PSC further warned that extended hold-up could direct the fate of the $1.6 billion dollar project into the hands of the federal government, following the U.S. Department of Energy listing southern and metropolitan New York as “critically congested” areas in regards to electricity availability.

“Should this case get dragged out by interminable motions or otherwise,” the ruling states, referring to the possibility of New York state now being federally designated a National Interest Electricity Transmission Corridor, “the decisions regarding the best interests of New York State may simply be made in Washington, D.C.” If ruled a corridor, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could over-step state authority and decide the outcome of NYRI’s project.