What do you know about New York City Energy
Policy? How much is based on fact, and how much on reports
circulated by private speculators who stand to profit from
short-sighted and misconceived energy projects? Read on to
clear up a few of the myths surrounding the "necessity" of
more power plants!
Myth 1: New York City Needs to License More Power Plants.
False. New York City needs to build those plants currently
approved for construction. The state has already licensed
over 1,900 megawatts of new plants for New York City in the
past two years. An additional 1,100 megawatts, not including
TransGas, is also expected be approved over the next. In
addition, there are plans to import another 1,800 megawatts
of additional energy via new out-of-state transmission.
Energy experts predict that if New York commits to real
conservation, and adds up to 3,000 megawatts of new energy
from these projects, we will have the most efficient and
competitive energy market in the United States. Most of
those projects cannot get built, however, because after
Enron and the market crash investors do not want to put
their money into building power plants in New York City.
Myth 2: New York City Needs to Build More Power Plants to
Avoid Blackouts Like the One Following the Con Ed Fire at
the 14th Street Plant on July 20, 2002.
False. The Con Ed fire blackout had nothing to do with
needing to build more power plants. Rather, a short circuit
caused the problem. No blackouts in New York City, including
the Great Blackout of 1977, have been the result of a lack
of power supply. Rather, it is the result of an old and
outdated citywide transmission grid that cannot meet demand.
In fact, the Con Ed fire occurred at a time when energy
demand was 29% less than a typical weekday.
Myth 3: Building New Power Plants Will Result in Less Air
Emissions.
False. Companies like TransGas claim that their projects
will reduce air emissions because their plants will replace
older dirtier plants. In fact, TransGas has no agreement
from any operators, including Con Ed, that plants will be
shut down if the TransGas project is built.
Myth 4: Power Plants Need to be Built Along the Waterfront.
False. Companies like TransGas want to build along the
waterfront because the natural gas and transmission lines
were originally laid along formerly industrial waterfront
areas. However, new power plants can easily run gas and
transmission lines to place facilities in locations that
will not destroy scenic waterfronts like the coastline of
Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
Myth 5: Nothing Can Be Done to Stop TransGas.
False. The Task Force has been working for over a year to
stop the TransGas project and save the Greenpoint/
Williamsburg waterfront. The Task Force has retained legal
experts and is conducting an intensive media and political
action campaign based on past successful efforts to stop the
construction of heavy industry on our local East River
waterfront. We have succeeded in the past and we will do it
again. Please join us in this fight!
Contact your elected representatives now
and tell them that another power plant in our neighborhood
is short-sighted and misdirected energy policy! Contact TGE and tell them their
energy thinking is incorrect and
their plant is not welcome in our neighborhood.
For references and related reading see the excellent
document file at www.gwapp.org, including:
- Table of Pending
Article X Cases
- Statement of City Councilman James Genarro,
New York City Council Environmental Protection Committee
Hearing, July 22, 2002.
Also:
And the Testimony of Joseph Ranna, Con Edison Director of
Manhattan Electric Operations, New York City Council
Committee on Environmental Protection, July 22, 2002.
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