Last week, Gov. Cuomo announced that 85 private developers, investor-owned utilities, financial firms and other entities have responded to the New York Energy Highway Task Force’s Request for Information (RFI), submitting 130 proposals to upgrade the state’s energy infrastructure.
The Energy Highway Task Force issued the RFI in April, seeking proposals in support of an energy highway. The Governor outlined his vision for the Energy Highway in his 2012 State of the State Address, calling for “a private-sector funded $2 billion “Energy Highway” system that will tap into the generation capacity and renewable energy potential in Upstate and Western NY to bring low-cost power to meet the tremendous energy needs in Downstate New York” and for the repowering of old and dirty plants to stop pollution in urban neighborhoods.
The RFI responses are available at www.nyenergyhighway.com. The task force is accepting public input on the responses until July 31.
We are pleased that this initiative is beginning to move forward. New York needs reliable, cost-effective energy sources in order to grow our economy, and not just to meet our local energy needs. Excess energy generated Upstate can and should be delivered to power-hungry communities downstate as well.