Syracuse solicits city power plant proposals
WSTM TV 3 (NBC)
Don Lark
May 22nd, 2008
http://www.wstm.com/news/photos.aspx?id=137681
Can city residents save $40 million a year?
SYRACUSE -- A big fat number - $40 million a year - is what got the city's attention. Activist Howie Hawkins and the CNY Public Power Coalition claim they can build a municipal utility to save city residents that kind of money on electric bills, every year. And they've got a green light from the city now to figure out how.
The City is requesting proposals that would answer all the questions in a way that every homeowner and business in Syracuse would like to hear -- how can Syracuse build its own power plants and save big money on the cost of producing and providing electricity. Activist Howie Hawkins says, "One possibility is that we wouldn't have to take over transmission and distribution lines. While the consulting firm looks at the supply issue, the city will be working with the state to see if we can't just generate our supply and run it through the transmission and distribution net National Grid now runs, because in our initial study we found the real savings is in generating our own supply."
If the City of Syracuse likes what it sees, from among the proposals it's now soliciting, there is money - $150 thousand already set aside by the Council to pay for a two part study on the potential costs and benefits. One study already done concluded that a power plant fueled by coal could have saved the city 30% on the cost of power three years ago. But coal, of course, is out of the question.
Jessica Maxwell, of the CNY Public Power Coalition, says "this is really a big step for Syracuse. Both in terms of working for energy independence but also in the sense of economic revitalization.
Proposals must be submitted by June 19th.
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