News stories tagged with "municipal-power"

(10/04/10) Governor David Paterson signed a bill creating the North Country Power Authority Saturday. That clears the way for a municipal electrical company to serve 24 towns and villages in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties.

The non-profit Alliance for Municipal Power, based in Canton, could cut power bills by buying and distributing its own electricity, cutting out the utility middleman. The idea is to provide reduced rates, more reliable service, and local control. According to a press release from state Sen. Darrel Aubertine, sponsor of the bill, preliminary studies indicate the annual savings for rate-payers in the millions of dollars, as well as an average system-wide rate reduction of 4 percent.

Municipal power companies have faced stiff opposition from utilities, including long legal battles to win control of the local transmission system, and penalties when they left the grid.

Robert Best is president of the Alliance for Municipal Power, or AMP. He estimates the new power authority will need $50 million to buy electricity on the open market and buy the power poles and lines from National Grid.

(03/10/10) Two-dozen towns in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties may soon be able to join forces and create a municipal electric company. This non-profit company could cut power bills by buying and distributing its own electricity, cutting out the utility middleman.

Right now, each town has the right to form its own electric company, similar to those in Massena, Lake Placid and Tupper Lake. But, it doesn't make sense for small, rural towns to go it alone. That's according to Bob Best. He's president of the Alliance for Municipal Power, or AMP. The group has worked for more than a decade to establish a municipal power company in rural St. Lawrence County.

He said that while each town could form its own electric company, state law doesn't allow towns to come together in a single municipal company. AMP has been asking state lawmakers to change that. The state Senate passed a bill clearing the way this week. It goes next to the Assembly, and if approved, on to the governor.

Municipal power companies have also faced stiff opposition from utilities, long legal battles to win control of the local transmission system, and penalties when they left the grid.
Best told Martha Foley this takeover, from National Grid, could be a friendly one, once the legislature and governor sign off.

(03/18/08) The New York Power Authority says electric customers in Lake Placid and Tupper Lake won't see a big surge in their bills. The Power Authority has promised to investigate mysterious surcharges that more than doubled electric costs in the villages. Jacob Resneck reports from Lake Placid.

(03/06/08) Municipal power customers will get a shock when they open their electric bills this week. Municipal electric departments statewide have been hit with new charges. Tupper Lake and Lake Placid residents were hit the hardest; their villages' January bill from the power authority more than doubled. Jacob Resneck reports.