News stories tagged with "electricity"

(03/28/11) A skeptical public greeted wind power representatives Saturday in St. Lawrence County. Iberdrola Renewables says it's in "the earliest stages" of developing an industrial wind farm in the towns of Parishville and neighboring Hopkinton. As David Sommerstein reports, this weekend's open house puts the communities on a familiar - and contentious - path. more

(03/10/11) New York's Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make the Power For Jobs program permanent. The newly named "Recharge NY" program would double in size by using electricity that had been allocated to small residential energy bill discounts. It would still offer low-cost power to hundreds of companies across the state in return for job commitments. The new version of the program would also set aside $8 million to offer power discounts for farmers. The now goes before the state Assembly.

Republican Joe Griffo says the bill is one success in what he calls a "very hectic" session. Griffo says lawmakers are scrambling to finish budget bills while trying to avoid the "three-men-in-a-room" process that's given Albany such a bad name. "To debate these issues in public between both houses and hopefully arrive on a consensus so we can have an on-time budget," Griffo says. "I think everybody is trying to work together and do the best we can despite our philosophic differences."

Those differences include how much to cut education spending and how to make redistricting less partisan.

Griffo represents the 47th Senate district, which stretches from Utica in the south, though Lewis County and the eastern half of St. Lawrence County to Massena. He told David Sommerstein making the popular Power For Jobs program permanent is an important step forward.

(03/07/11) Northeast states are increasingly looking to Canada to meet a growing demand for low cost hydro electricity from renewable sources.

But the energy imports are stirring controversy. In northern New Hampshire, local activists are fighting a power line that would send the electricity south. And questions are being raised about whether big hydro is really green.

As part of a collaboration of Northeast stations John Dillon of Vermont Public Radio reports.

Northeast environmental reporting is made possible, in part, by a grant from United Technologies. Northeast environmental coverage is part of NPR's Local News Initiative. more

(03/07/11) As we've been hearing in John Dillon's report, there is a debate raging over the future of Hydro Quebec's power projects and their impact on the environment.

Brian Mann has traveled repeatedly to Cree Crounty in northern Quebec, talking with local leaders about the way industrial power projects are changing their villages and the landscape.

This morning as part of our series Story 2.0, we'll revisit his report from 2007.

(02/22/11) Managing the power grid is a balancing act. As we flip on our coffee makers and turn on hairdryers, the grid is reacting, breathing harder, so to speak, to keep up with our demand. A facility in upstate New York is using battery power to make balancing the grid more efficient. Emma Jacobs has more for the Innovation Trail. more

(10/05/10) Municipal power advocates in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties took a big step over the weekend. But they have a lot more work to do to create a new not-for-profit power company.

Governor Paterson signed a bill creating the North Country Power Authority on Saturday. It paves the way for 24 towns and villages in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties to buy the lines, poles, and substations from National Grid. Robert Best, president of the Alliance for Municipal Power, estimates that will cost $50 million. But he told David Sommerstein municipalized electricity from Gouverneur to Fort Covington is far from a done deal.

(07/08/10) The East has been roasting. The likelihood of just mid-80s tomorrow sounds downright delectable after four days of a steamy heat wave.

The National Weather Service forecasts less brutal heat throughout the region, though it's still likely to be uncomfortably humid.

As the heat and humidity of this "Bermuda high" continue, so does the heat warning from the weather service. Today's warning remains in effect until 8 tonight. As Jonathan Brown reports, the hot spell is taking a toll. more

(07/07/10) A recent study of bird and bat mortality at Wolfe Island's 82-turbine wind farm is raising concerns among environmentalists. Wolfe Island is Canadian territory, located where Lake Ontario empties into the St. Lawrence River. The report found 600 birds and more than a thousand bats were killed by the windmill blades in a six month period. Nature Canada called the numbers "shockingly high." Ornithologist Bill Evans says the real question is which species of birds died. Evans directs Old Bird, Inc. in Ithaca and has consulted for both wind power companies and environmental groups. He told David Sommerstein Wolfe Island is a designated important bird area, so ornithologists predicted high fatalities. Evans says the number of hawks, owls, and other raptors was the most alarming.

(06/29/10) A bill paving the way for a municipally owned power company in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties passed the state Assembly yesterday. The bill to create the North Country Power Authority has already passed the state Senate. Robert Best of the Alliance for Municipal Power has been working on the project for almost 20 years. He expects Governor Paterson to sgn the bill into law soon. Martha Foley reports. more

(06/28/10) A bill allowing a group of North Country towns to form their own municipal power company cleared the Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Friday. It has already passed in the Senate. A floor vote before the full Assembly is expected as early as today. If it passes, two dozen towns in St Lawrence and Franklin counties will begin to buy power lines and substations from National Grid. The Alliance for Municipal Power is leading the effort. David Sommerstein reports. more