The Niagara Power Project debate, in layman’s terms
May 15th, 2007 by Eric
Anyone paying an electric bill in our neck of the increasingly thinned out woods knows that those in the Buffalo/Niagara region pay a lot to turn the lights on and keep their food cold. In fact, we pay 50% more than the national average; all while one of the largest, cleanest, and most profitable sources of power literally flows right through our backyards.
Most people have probably also read/heard that 15% of the “juice” that is produced at the Niagara Power Project will be “in the air” when two contracts expire later this summer, and there are a lot groups waiting underneath with their hands in the air, hoping to get a piece of that action. That action, by the way, is worth a total of $100 million a year.
The problem is that it’s hard to understand how power allocation works. No one seems to want to put it layman’s terms, and that makes transparency difficult while making it easier for local politicians to shake accountability for how they allocate the power. Now, I’m no lawyer, but I’ll do my best for my fellow laymen (and women).
Two years ago, a law was passed by the state legislature that took 70 megawatts (that’s a lot) that had been earmarked for industry in Niagara and Erie counties, and used it to lower electricity costs for a handful of businesses downstate. That law expires at the end of June. We need that power to stay here to spur local economic development. It’s a no-brainer.
Two months later, an even bigger chunk (can electricity be measured in chunks?) will become available that has been sold to utility companies that power homes in western New York. In fact, it’s powering the computer that I’m writing this post on.
This one’s a bit more complicated. Many labor groups and local businesses want that power to go to economic development also, rather than sold to utility companies. The problem? Those already stratospheric rates could possibly climb into the mesosphere, increasing by a maximum of eight percent. Of course, that’s if all of the Niagara Project’s electricity goes to economic development. A reasonable compromise would probably be somewhere in the middle.
Whatever your position is though, it’s important to make your voice heard. Here is the contact information for your state legislator and state senator. Call, write, or email them and let them know where you stand. If you’re not sure who your representatives are, you can search by zip code here and here respectively.
Of course, it’s important to decrease our energy use, especially during the hot summer months. Changing your lights bulbs to compact fluorescents would, by itself, more than make up for any increase in electricity rates. Here is a great list of 20 things you can do to lower your energy costs and help the environment at the same time. So tell your politicians what you think, but don’t wait for them to do it all.
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