Power Plant Expansion Won't Hike Environmental Impacts

The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) last Tuesday, April 7, approved amendments to the Astoria Energy LLC Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need to commence construction of phase two of a generating facility in Astoria, Queens County.

On Nov. 21, 2001, under the statutory and regulatory provisions of Article X of the Public Service Law, the Siting Board granted a certificate to Astoria Energy LLC, authorizing, subject to conditions, the construction and operation of the project's approximately 1,000-megawatt (MW) gas-fired electric generating facility.

On Mar. 25, 2004, the Siting Board determined that the certificate authorized two power blocks to be constructed in separate phases. The first phase commenced commercial operation in May 2006.

In a petition filed Nov. 10, 2008, petitioners Astoria Energy LLC and Astoria Energy II LLC requested several amendments to the certificate including:

• Changing the total capacity of the project from approximately 1,000 MW to approximately 1,240 MW;

• Modifying the interconnection point for the second power block from the Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. 138 kV Astoria East substation to the New York Power Authority 345 kV transmission line feeders; and,

• Revising the construction schedule for the second power block.

Also, the petitioners requested a transfer of the certificate from Astoria Energy LLC to Astoria Energy LLC and Astoria Energy II LLC jointly. The Siting Board determined that these amendments will not result in any material increase in environmental impacts.

A certificate amendment specifying a maximum output of approximately 1,240 MW is consistent with the Siting Board's findings supporting the issuance of the certificate, and will not result in any significant increases in adverse air quality impacts because the increase reflects a higher steam turbine capacity than originally estimated, and not any significantly higher amount of fuel combustion or air emissions.

In addition, the modified interconnection point will have minimal visual and aesthetic impacts on the surrounding land use that is heavily characterized by utility infrastructure. However, several conditions are included to ensure the project is constructed and operated in a safe and reliable manner, including approval of the revised system reliability impact study by the Operating Committee of the New York Independent System Operator.

Similarly, the modified construction schedule is reasonable and will not result in any material increases in the probable environmental impacts that were previously determined to result from the project.

Regarding a transfer of the certificate to Astoria Energy and Astoria Energy II jointly, such a transfer will ensure that the certificate holders are qualified to carry out the provisions of the certificate.

A copy of the Apr. 7, 2009 decision in Case 08-F-1367, when issued, will be available on the New York State Public Service Commission's www.dps.state.ny.us Web site by accessing the Commission's Documents section of the home page. Many libraries offer free Internet access. Siting Board Orders may also be obtained from the Commission's Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, N.Y., 518-474-2500.