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Nuke booster supports NYRI
Group with ties to Entergy says build power line

May 31, 2007
By Brendan Scott
Times Herald-Record

What do Indian Point and New York Regional Interconnect have in common? Aside from being two of the most controversial names in the state's energy debate, that is.

They now share the blessing of the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance, a coalition of business and labor interests founded by Entergy to counter the outcry to close the power company's two Indian Point nuclear reactors.

New York AREA officially joined the power line fight May 23, when it testified in support of both NYRI and a U.S. Department of Energy proposal that would allow such projects to bypass state opposition.

"Our primary role is to be for something and to remind the public and the business community that keeping the lights on should also be a priority, not just killing projects," said Jerry Kremer, a one-time Assembly leader who serves as the group's public face.

"There's got to be somebody saying that we need power lines," Kremer said.

Indeed, until now, NYRI, which is backed by Canadian investors and claims no ties to local utilities, has received little to no support from the state's energy industry. The involvement of New York AREA could suggest warming attitudes toward the project.

AREA's membership includes the Business Council, the Energy Association and the Independent Power Producers, although each of those groups say they still don't have a position on NYRI.

New York AREA boasts particularly strong ties to Entergy, which provided an undisclosed sum of seed money to help form the alliance after the August 2003 Northeast blackout.

While New York AREA has also spoken out in favor of renewing the state's expired power plant siting law, advocacy for Indian Point has dominated its activities. The alliance shares personnel with a similar group fighting to preserve an Entergy power plant in Vermont.

That's relevant because Entergy also operates the 825-megawatt FitzPatrick nuclear power plant in Oswego. NYRI could potentially benefit the plant by carrying surplus power downstate.

Kremer said Entergy is the only New York AREA's member with upstate power plants. However, he said the nuclear power company is now only a "minor contributor" to the 100-member organization and played no role in its decision to back NYRI.

Entergy spokesman Jim Steets agreed. He said the planned 1,200-megawatt transmission line could "improve the marketability" of the company's upstate facilities, but added that Entergy neither supports nor opposes the project.

"While we might agree with many of the reasons New York AREA has chosen to support NYRI, we have not take a position on it," Steets said.

Power players

New York Regional Interconnect: The Albany-based, Canadian-backed company vying to build a 190-mile transmission line that would carry electricity from power-rich upstate to the power-hungry New York metro area. The project would cost an estimated $1.6 billion and provide enough power to light more than a million homes.

Entergy: The nation's second-largest nuclear power producer. Its holdings include the Indian Point reactors in Buchanan, as well as nuclear power plants in Oswego, Plymouth, Mass., and Vernon, Vt.

New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance: Founded in 2003 with seed money from Entergy, the group now claims more than 100 members, including several prominent downstate business and labor interests, such as KeySpan Energy and the Long Island Power Authority.

Jerry Kremer: The Long Island Democrat ended a 23-year career in the Assembly in 1988 after losing a bid to become speaker. As a lawmaker, he helped write the state's power plant siting law. He now serves as the chairman of New York AREA's advisory board. He's also counsel for the Long Island Power Authority and does lobbying on the side, which includes a $6,000-a-year contract to lobby on behalf of New York AREA.

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