PSEG Power Completes 750-MW Energy Center
Project is first in Hudson Valley to replace existing power plant with clean, new technology
Delmar, NY — PSEG Power officially welcomed the 750-megawatt (MW) Bethlehem Energy Center (BEC) into its generating fleet today in a dedication ceremony that included New York State Public Service Commission Chairman William M. Flynn and a gathering of company, state, and local officials.
The event celebrated the completion of BEC, a natural gas-fired, combined cycle power plant that replaces the more than 50-year-old Albany Steam Station, a 385-MW oil-fired facility that was retired in February to make way for operation of the new facility. BEC is expected to start commercial operation this month.
BEC represents the first project in the Hudson Valley in which an older, existing power plant was replaced by new, clean, state-of-the-art electric generating technology. BEC almost doubles the power output of Albany Steam station while dramatically reducing air emissions and use of Hudson River water.
Construction of the new plant started in June 2002. PSEG Power New York, a subsidiary of PSEG Power, one of the nation's largest independent power producers, acquired Albany Steam Station from Niagara Mohawk in 2000 and subsequently announced plans to build a new facility on the site and retire the existing plant. BEC was one of the first generating projects to be approved and permitted under New York State's "Article X" siting legislation.
"Today is culmination of thousands of hours of hard work and dedicated effort among all those responsible for Bethlehem Energy Center," said Frank Cassidy, PSEG Power president and chief operating officer. "We celebrate the skill and craftsmanship of the men and women who designed, engineered, and built this great new facility. We celebrate the collaborative effort among local and state officials and regulatory staff that helped move this project forward. And we celebrate our neighbors in this community who welcomed us and worked with us so cooperatively.
"We are extraordinarily proud of this facility," Cassidy continued, "and the productive partnership among our company, the state, and the local community that made it a reality."
"The Bethlehem Energy Center exemplifies how we can meet our growing demand for energy in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner, and I want to thank PSEG for making this investment in New York," said William M. Flynn, Chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission. "Investments in new generating capacity are critical to maintaining the high reliability of the state's power grid, particularly during these summer months when the use of electricity spikes. It is important to note, however, that it takes time to bring a facility like this on-line, which underscores the need for new siting legislation now in order to continue bringing new generating units on-line to meet future energy needs."
BEC will produce almost twice as much energy as the retired Albany Steam Station while providing dramatic reductions in air emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), the pollutant most associated with acid rain. NOx emissions will be cut 97% and SO2 by about 98%. In addition, BEC's closed-loop cooling system will cut use of Hudson River water by about 98%. The project has received the support of a number of environmental advocacy organizations including the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the American Lung Association of Northeastern New York, the Hudson Riverkeeper, and Scenic Hudson.
"Air pollution makes people sick, triggers asthma attacks and can cut short lives," said Stanton H. Hudson, Jr. President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Lung Association of New York State. "Due to PSEG's bold leadership, the Bethlehem Energy Center represents an important step for cleaner air in the Capital Region and for a world free of lung disease. We urge others to copy the fine example that stands before us today."
"Riverkeeper is extremely pleased with PSEG's repowering of the Albany Steam Station," said Alex Matthiessen, president of Riverkeeper. "The new Bethlehem Energy Center plant will not only provide nearly double the power output but nearly eliminate the impact on Hudson River fish. There is nothing more satisfying than when a traditional foe steps up and does the right thing for the environment and for surrounding communities. PSEG has done just that and I hope that it inspires other power companies operating on the Hudson River to do the same."
"We are proud to have the Bethlehem Energy Center as part of the local community," Theresa Egan, Bethlehem Town Supervisor said. "This new state of the art facility provides the town and other taxing jurisdictions a guaranteed source of revenues as well as good paying jobs for the local economy."
SOURCE: PSEG Power