As Lansing waits to learn the fate of the Cayuga Power Plant, a new notice from the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) has provided a clue that a decision on the pending repowering proposal may come this fall.  Upstate New York Power Producers (UNYPP) Chief Operating Officer Jerry Goodenough says the filing is part of the Auburn transmission tines proceedings.

"The Commission is considering whether to adopt, modify, or reject, in whole or in part, the proposals filed by Cayuga and NYSEG on February 6, 2015, and may address other related matters, including, but not limited to, the Joint Proposal filed on June 22, 2015 in Case 13-T-0235, concerning planned transmis- sion projects," the notice reads.  It then goes on to say, "Public comment will be received until: 45 days after publication of this notice."

That pushes back any decision until some time in the fall, if the PSC is even ready by then.  If approved by Albany, the coal-fired Cayuga Power Plant will be refitted to run using natural gas.  That will require a gas pipeline extension from Freeville to the northwest Lansing power plant location.

Earthjustice staff attorney Christopher Amato immediately filed a letter with the PSC July 16th demanding that company documents, previously redacted, be released with no information blacked out.  Groups opposing repowering the plant including Earthjustice, Ratepayer and Community Intervenors (RCI) and Sierra Club have repeatedly petitioned for un-redacted documents since the original public comment period.

"The Commission recently published notice in the State Register that it will be accepting public comments on Cayuga’s revised proposal until 45 days after publication of the notice (August 24, 2015)," Amato wrote.  "Accordingly, it is crucial that RCI and Sierra Club be timely provided with the supporting information, documentation, and analyses, if any, for the economic and environmental claims in Cayuga’s proposal. The requested documentation, or lack thereof, is crucial to development of comments on the proposal."

In separate filings, NYSEG claims that repowering the power plant will cost ratepayers approximately $452.3 million on a net present value (NPV) basis, and COC says $64.8 NVP will be realized by ratepayers if their plan is implemented.

The PSC began consideration of a repowering plan that would convert the coal-fired power plant to natural gas two and a half years ago.  But NYSEG challenged the plant's plan with an alternate vision that would close the plant and use the money to update power transmission lines.  Several extensions to come up with an acceptable plan were granted.  On March 28th last year the PSC granted an extension to the plant's operating company, Cayuga Operating Company (COC), and New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) to come up with a mutually agreeable proposal that would include repowering the plant with natural gas by December 1.  When the companies failed to agree on a single plan, the PSC issued an extension on November 26th, giving COC until February 6, 2015 to submit a new proposal.  COC submitted its newest plan on the 6th, and NYSEG also weighed in that day.

Since then there has been silence from Albany and no activity on the PSC Web site where case files and close to 7,900 public comments are posted, both in favor and opposing the repowering plan.  A decision on the Lansing plant is still pending.

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