National Grid wants structure built to accommodate electricity demands of GlobalFoundries
Inside the vast auditorium at Scotia-Glenville High School, local residents were somewhat sparse in attendance, but some expressed concerns about the cost and visual impact of a new National Grid transmission line to better accommodate the expected electricity demands of microchip manufacturer GlobalFoundries.
Quite frankly, I believe if GlobalFoundries needs this power supply so bad, they should pay for it themselves, said Robert Killeen Jr. of Charlton at the Monday, July 26, public hearing. `They have soaked up every single taxpayer incentive that they possibly can and now they’re asking for more.`
Killeen and others expressed concerns that the new transmission lines, estimated to cost $66 million, according to National Grid, would cause a spike in their electricity bills.
National Grid is planning to build the new 115-kilovolt transmission line spanning 33 miles and primarily within the company’s existing right-of-way, although some land easement will need to be acquired for vegetation management purposes.
The new line is scheduled to be built in two segments ` from the Spier Falls Substation to the Ballston Tap is 22 miles, and the remaining 11 miles goes from the Rotterdam Substation to the Ballston Tap. The new lines are designed to be less wide than existing line structures and only raise 4 feet higher.
The public information and hearing on July 26 aimed to address residents’ questions about the application. There was also another hearing held in Ballston Spa on July 22.
Administrative Law Judge Eleanor Stein, from the New York State Public Service Commission said during the first hearing on May 18 in Saratoga Springs that residents expressed a concern about having adequate information on the project.
National Grid states in its application that performance of their transmission system in the Northeast region was marginally acceptable in the summer of 2009. By the summer of 2012 their transmission system is cited to be unacceptable.
GlobalFoundries is expected to have a minimum peak load of 40 MVA by the summer of 2012, which accounts for more than half of the expected minimum load increase of 71 MVA that summer, according to National Grid.
Edward Kritz, Clifton Park resident, said the application process seems a little `after-the-fact` since now GlobalFoundries is there and residents have no choice but to accept the project.
Many residents within Schenectady County might not be directly affected by National Grid’s new transmission line plan, but the potential visual impact led Gina Wierzbowski, Glenville town board member, and Christopher Koetzle, Glenville town board supervisor, to call for a public project to benefit residents.
`We value open spaces, and we do have some policies in place to try to preserve them,` said Wierzbowski. `Obviously, the addition of another tower will have a visual impact.`
Koetzle also said the meeting location wasn’t easy to find and there wasn’t adequate notification given to residents about the meeting. The main entrance to the event was through a side door of the auditorium.
`There was some confusion in the parking lot and people appeared to want to leave and go to the middle school,` said Koetzle. `We found an open door with a metal chair propping it open and we passed it by because it didn’t look inviting.`
Koetzle invited National Grid to attend a Glenville Town Board meeting to present the information shown at the information session held that night.
`I do not believe that this served the purpose and was adequate enough for the residents,` said Koetzle.“
