{"id":18347,"date":"2016-05-31T15:15:36","date_gmt":"2016-05-31T19:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/?p=18347"},"modified":"2016-05-31T15:24:59","modified_gmt":"2016-05-31T19:24:59","slug":"state-public-service-commission-to-terminate-contract-between-nrg-and-national-grid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/state-public-service-commission-to-terminate-contract-between-nrg-and-national-grid\/","title":{"rendered":"State Public Service Commission to Terminate Contract Between NRG and National Grid"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"NRG

NRG Power Plant in Dunkirk<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Reed<\/strong> (R-Corning) and State Sen. Cathy Young (R-Olean) are expressing their concern and disappointment with the New York State Public Service Commission<\/strong> (PSC) after learning it plans to terminate a contract involving the repowering of the NRG Power Plant in Dunkirk<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Reed and Young both made a statement on Tuesday regarding the expected cancellation of the 10-year agreement that was made in 2014 between NRG and National Grid<\/strong><\/a>. Under the terms of the 2014 contract, the NRG coal-burning power plant would have be converted to a natural gas-burning power plant. The move would have allowed the plant to remain operational, preserving dozens of jobs in the north county while also maintaining property tax payments for the city of Dunkirk, the Dunkirk School District, and Chautauqua County.<\/p>\n

However, the PSC now plans to terminate the agreement and is seeking public input on the matter.<\/p>\n

According to the PSC, the likely termination is based on NRG’s decision to mothball the facility<\/a> rather than meet the required September 2015 deadline to add natural gas-firing capabilities to the plant. The PSC also cites the decision by NRG to go with other transmission upgrades that would make the conversion of the plant in Dunkirk obsolete. Moreover, the PSC has cited an April 19, 2016 Supreme Court<\/strong> decision (Hughes v. Talen Energy Marketing, LLC<\/em>) that could be used to nullify any state-ordered contract for the sale of electric generation capacity – including the one that was approved in 2014 between NRG and National Grid.<\/p>\n