The NYRI proposal generated massive opposition along the entire proposed route

ALBANY – New York Regional Interconnect Friday announced it is suspending its efforts to site a power line in New York. It was seeking the okay to run the line from Oneida County to Orange County, but met with much opposition on the local government and community level.

A statement from the company said that while it “remains committed to transmission development in New York State, it is suspending its current participation in the New York State Public Service Commission Article VII process” for its project.

The March 31 decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denying NYRI’s request to review the recently approved rules of the New York State Independent System Operator for transmission tariffs “has created an unacceptable financial risk for NYRI’s investors,” the company said. “Even if the NYRI project were to be sited by the PSC, NYRI would face the prospect of being unable to recover transmission costs from the ratepayers who would benefit from the project,” according to a prepared statement from NYRI.

Senator John Bonacic of Mt. Hope, who was a driving force in opposing the project, said all those who fought against it are “winners.” Bonacic secured $50,000 for the Upper Delaware Council to fight the project and another $1 million in state aid to oppose it.

Senator William Larkin of Cornwall-on-Hudson said teamwork by the opposition helped bring down the project.

Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther of Forestburg said the news of NYRI’s withdrawal is “good news.” She residents of the Catskills and Hudson Valley regions will be “real happy” about the development.

Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun of Blooming Grove is “pleased for the people who have lived for two years with this specter over their heads,” she said.

“It has always been questionable whether there would even be any benefit from this massive line that would have disrupted lives and property and would have done so in an area if there was any potential for benefit, they would be not be able to receive it.”

Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Jonathan Rouis is glad it’s over. “Sullivan County and its neighbors had continued to fight the NYRI project and it’s welcomed news that our efforts have been successful and this project has been met with severe criticism from our residents and others along the proposed line.”             

Orange County Executive Edward Diana hailed the decision. “This entire process was flawed from the beginning and represented a remarkable departure from long standing rights traditionally reserved to the states and was just bad policy that exploited one area of the state to benefit another.”