Legislature Approves Low-cost Power Legislation

Albany, N.Y.-- The New York State Legislature has approved legislation, co-sponsored in the Senate bySenator George H. Winner, Jr. (R-C, Elmira), to extend the state’s economic development power programs and keep low-cost electricity flowing to Anchor Glass Container Corporation and other manufacturers statewide.

The legislation has been agreed-upon byGovernor George Pataki and will soon be delivered tothe governor to besignedsigned into law.

Winner, a member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, said that manufacturers like Anchor Glass depend on the energy cost savings these programs provide to create and preserve jobs and strengthen their economic competitiveness.

"This agreement is vital to maintaining jobs and promoting economic growth and stability here in the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes region and across New York State. It’s important economic news for Anchor Glass and every other business that depends on this low-cost energy to preserve jobs and remain competitive," said Winner.

The legislation extends several of the state’s low-cost power programs and allows the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to continue providing power to businesses for economic development. The agreement allows NYPA to continue providing economic development power to manufacturers, including Anchor Glass and the Gunlocke Company, who received low-cost power from the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Plant, which the authority sold to a private company five years ago. As a result, approximately 70 companies, accounting for over 60,000 jobs statewide, will remain eligible to keep receiving the energy cost savings once their current contracts expire.

The Anchor Glass low-cost power contract is set to expire on December 31, 2005. Company officials have said that the program saves the company approximately $1.4 million annually and is critical to the future of its 400-employee work force.

The legislation being approved this week extends Anchor’s contract for 14 months. Winner said that long-term contract extensions will remain a legislative priority.

"This action is the important short-term solution, and we’ll continue to focus on the long-term challenge," Winner said.