The July 24 letter, "Fortis acquisition will protect energy's future," misrepresented the facts about the Champlain Hudson Power Express project. The project, approved by the state Public Service Commission on April 18 after three years of exhaustive review, will bring 1,000 megawatts of clean, renewable energy to New York.
The PSC found many benefits from the project, including: providing renewable energy; substantial air pollution emissions benefits; enhancing fuel diversity and reliability; stronger transmission ties into New York City; and enhancing the environment through the creation of an environmental trust fund. In addition, the project has demonstrated significant job creation benefits during construction, along with saving ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars per year, which in turn will create thousands of additional new jobs in the state.
The project is supported by the laborers' and operating engineers' unions, and TDI will use skilled tradespeople to construct it. Rights of way will be acquired through private acquisition and our company continues to make detailed engineering refinements to protect historic sites, such as cemeteries.
Furthermore, it will be financed by the private sector, not ratepayers.
The project is tremendously beneficial for the state. That is why over 50 contractors have asked about working on the project and why we are so eager to deliver these benefits to New Yorkers.
Donald Jessome
President and CEO, Transmission Developers Inc.
Albany