Synapse Energy Consultants to Present Testimony at New York State Assembly Public Hearing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tina Posterli, Riverkeeper, 914-478-4501 x 239, [email protected]
Kate Slusark, NRDC, 212-727-4592, [email protected]
Study commissioned by Riverkeeper and NRDC provides a viable blueprint for an energy future without Indian Point
Ossining, NY, January 12, 2012 – Synapse Energy Consultants was invited by the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Energy and Assembly Standing Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, to provide testimony on its recent report, Indian Point Energy Center Nuclear Plant Retirement Analysis; Replacement Options, Reliability Issues and Economic Effects, at today’s public hearing to address the potential closure of Indian Point. The Synapse Report was commissioned by Riverkeeper and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and published in October, 2011.
Synapse will provide testimony regarding the study’s key findings:
- There is currently a surplus of electricity capacity in the regions near Indian Point, including New York City, and that even if the Indian Point units were closed when their current operating licenses expire by 2015, there would be no need for new electric capacity to meet reliability requirements until 2020.
- Energy sources are readily available to replace Indian Point’s 2,000 megawatts of electric capacity. The replacement options identified in the report are either already underway or can be implemented well before 2020 and include:
– About 1,550 MW in savings from new energy efficiency resources in the Indian Point region, beyond those that are already planned. Additional savings are available in the rest of the state.
– Nearly 600 MW of renewable energy capacity to meet peak electricity demand (and up to 3,000 MW total capacity) by 2015. In total, more than 6,000 MW of renewable energy projects like wind and solar are already in the planning process in the state.
– 2,600 MW from proposed new transmission lines to bring power to New York City from upstate New York and other regions, including the already approved 660 MW Hudson Transmission Line, and nearly 2,000 MW of lines are already well along in the approval process.
“Today’s hearing comes on the heels of the pump failure at Indian Point, which forced the shutdown of one of the plant’s two reactors, yet again demonstrating the risks associated with continuing to operate this old, outdated plant,” said Paul Gallay, President and Hudson Riverkeeper. “The hearing is also perfectly timed with Governor Cuomo’s State Address, where he highlighted his vision for a cleaner, safer energy future for New York. The Synapse report shows how we can realize this vision and help Governor Cuomo to achieve his repeatedly-stated determination to see the Indian Point nuclear plant close.”
“From the forced shut down at Indian Point this week, to the recent disaster in Japan – New Yorkers are understandably concerned about the aging nuclear power plant in their backyard,” said Kit Kennedy, Clean Energy Counsel at NRDC. “It doesn’t take a tsunami – hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes and other threats we’ve seen in the region in recent history could also spell trouble. But we don’t have to live with this risk any longer. We can keep the lights on, and sleep soundly, with a wealth of safer power sources that are well within our grasp.”
