Senator Maziarz Responds to Governor Cuomo's Energy Highway Blueprint Release

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo received the Energy Highway Task Force's Blueprint, a comprehensive plan that will add up to 3,200 megawatts of electric generation and transmission capacity and clean power generation at his Cabinet Meeting on Monday.   The Energy Highway initiative, introduced in the 2012 State of the State address, is part of the Governor's Power NY agenda, which was put in place to ensure that New York's energy grid is the most advanced in the nation and promotes increased business investment in the state. 

Senator Maziarz states, “I am pleased that the Governor’s Energy Highway Task force reported back on time, because it draws attention to the pressing need to modernize our energy generation and transmission infrastructure. The recommendations accurately diagnose the choice that our State faces, as upstate generators struggle to remain viable and we look for innovative ways to address our aging transmission system. In particular, I was heartened by the Task force’s clear commitment to moving forward on the NYTRANSCO proposal to relieve transmission congestion and allow power to flow freely throughout our state. This proposal will help communities from Niagara Falls to Montauk Point because it is a comprehensive solution that prioritizes New York jobs and New York energy. This proposal is estimated to create 50,000 new jobs, and will lead to a brighter future for all of the citizens of our State. I am still studying the document as a whole, especially as it relates to its approach to repowering, but the fact that the issue is examined at such length, demonstrates that the Task Force understands that the modernization of our generating fleet is an important challenge. I look forward to working cooperatively with the Governor, as I have the last two years to meet these challenges by developing pragmatic and comprehensive solutions.”