BETHLEHEM — The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) has announced approval of plans to make hardware and software changes at the Bethlehem Energy Center in Glenmont that are designed to help improve the plant’s energy efficiency. The petition was submitted by the plant’s owner, PSEG Power New York LLC.
“To have this generating facility operate more efficiently, yet still meet all emissions and performance criteria, is clearly in the public interest,” said Siting Board Chair Audrey Zibelman. “The upgrades will allow the Bethlehem Energy Center to operate more efficiently, improving the facility’s productivity.”
The initial certificate authorized PSEG Power to construct and operate the Bethlehem Energy Center in the Town of Bethlehem, Albany County located at 380 River Road. The 750 megawatt dual-fuel fired electric generating facility commenced commercial operation on July 1, 2005.
The approved changes will allow for the replacement of certain components of the three combustion turbines and certain changes to related software programs. The equipment being replaced are components of the combustion turbines themselves. According to the Siting Board, the upgrades will result in very little, if any, impact on the environment or the surrounding community, and will not result in any increase in air emissions from the facility.
The Siting Board has found that the proposed upgrades: will cause no increase in air emissions, water use, or waste generation; that there will be no changes to the “footprint” or external structures that constitute the facility; and that additional traffic associated with the upgrades will be limited. The only operational aspect of the proposed upgrades that required additional consideration, they said, is “potential operational noise level increases due to the additional output of the facility.”
The decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at
www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 15-F-0040 in the input box labeled “Search for Case/Matter Number”. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223
(518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call
1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services.