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Assemblyman Gordon introduces bill to help Kinderhook Power Authority
By Paul Crossman
KINDERHOOK - Assemblyman Tim Gordon, D-108th, recently submitted a bill to amend the current New York energy law, more specifically the section which deals with the sale and supply of energy, to be more friendly to citizens trying to utilize alternate sources of power.
If passed, this would amend the energy law to allow co-generation, or let someone who generates energy from an alternate source sell and supply electricity to one non-residential consumer within ten miles of the power source.
This would be a great step towards the ongoing creation of a power authority in Kinderhook, because current legislation prohibits the sharing of alternately generated power, which is pretty much what the authority is trying to do. Though it still wouldn’t give the authority the free reign it needs in order to share generated power with as many people as they would like, it is still the proverbial “foot-in-the-door,” which the power committee hopes will lead to more radical reform.
“I think that in time Tim’s law could be improved to be of even greater benefit to the community,” said Committee Chair Peter Bujanow. “This is a first step.”
Though there would be a significant number of benefits to the residents of Kinderhook, the Power Committee keeps running into problems, not with creating the power itself, but in the regulations governing how that power can be used and transmitted.
During a May meeting, Kinderhook Town Supervisor Doug McGivney expressed his belief that the biggest obstacle standing in the way of the Power Authority Committee was not the technology involved, but the current transmission laws which make it nearly impossible - at least for now - for such a project to be feasible.
Regardless of these setbacks though, McGivney is confident that the time is right for Kinderhook to go green, and that with enough lobbying, changes like the one recently submitted by Assemblyman Gordon are inevitable.
“We need these simple law changes,” he said at the time. “If we, the people, demand it, then it will happen.”
According to the wording of the bill, the justification for taking this action is that alternative energy production facilities can produce energy for their own use, and with limitations may even sell some of the excess power, but that it is unclear under the regulations and rulings of the Public Service Commission whether the facilities in question may sell and supply excess energy to neighboring consumers.
If passed, this legislation will make clear that such facilities may sell and supply energy to neighboring consumers, which will in turn help make businesses less dependent on the grid. It is the belief of Assemblyman Gordon and other backers of the bill that this will result in a significant step toward overall energy dependence.
The Kinderhook Power Authority Committee, headed by Bujanow, has met several times now to discuss possible courses of action to provide a cheaper and more efficient source of power for the residents of Kinderhook as a whole. The plan thus far is to start out on a small scale, powering the Kinderhook Senior Center and neighboring buildings, then spreading to other possible locations such as Golden Harvest Farms, and even Ichabod Crane Central School.
Alternative energy sources being considered by the committee include solar, wind and bio-fuels, though according to discussion in previous meetings, the latter is less likely to happen on a larger scale.
The most recent meeting occurred on June 25, and showcased the bill which Assemblyman Gordon hopes to put into effect, as well as a presentation by several members of The Grant Writers, who explained possible grant and funding opportunities for the project. The committee also discussed possible backup plans - such as entering into an agreement with a neighboring alternative energy community - in case of an emergency where the town could not provide the necessary power to the residents.
“I’m very encouraged by the participation at these meetings,” Bujanow told the Register Star. “There really seems to be a growing interest in the project.”
To reach reporter Paul Crossman, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2266,
or e-mail pcrossman@registerstar.com.
If passed, this would amend the energy law to allow co-generation, or let someone who generates energy from an alternate source sell and supply electricity to one non-residential consumer within ten miles of the power source.
This would be a great step towards the ongoing creation of a power authority in Kinderhook, because current legislation prohibits the sharing of alternately generated power, which is pretty much what the authority is trying to do. Though it still wouldn’t give the authority the free reign it needs in order to share generated power with as many people as they would like, it is still the proverbial “foot-in-the-door,” which the power committee hopes will lead to more radical reform.
“I think that in time Tim’s law could be improved to be of even greater benefit to the community,” said Committee Chair Peter Bujanow. “This is a first step.”
Though there would be a significant number of benefits to the residents of Kinderhook, the Power Committee keeps running into problems, not with creating the power itself, but in the regulations governing how that power can be used and transmitted.
During a May meeting, Kinderhook Town Supervisor Doug McGivney expressed his belief that the biggest obstacle standing in the way of the Power Authority Committee was not the technology involved, but the current transmission laws which make it nearly impossible - at least for now - for such a project to be feasible.
Regardless of these setbacks though, McGivney is confident that the time is right for Kinderhook to go green, and that with enough lobbying, changes like the one recently submitted by Assemblyman Gordon are inevitable.
“We need these simple law changes,” he said at the time. “If we, the people, demand it, then it will happen.”
According to the wording of the bill, the justification for taking this action is that alternative energy production facilities can produce energy for their own use, and with limitations may even sell some of the excess power, but that it is unclear under the regulations and rulings of the Public Service Commission whether the facilities in question may sell and supply excess energy to neighboring consumers.
If passed, this legislation will make clear that such facilities may sell and supply energy to neighboring consumers, which will in turn help make businesses less dependent on the grid. It is the belief of Assemblyman Gordon and other backers of the bill that this will result in a significant step toward overall energy dependence.
The Kinderhook Power Authority Committee, headed by Bujanow, has met several times now to discuss possible courses of action to provide a cheaper and more efficient source of power for the residents of Kinderhook as a whole. The plan thus far is to start out on a small scale, powering the Kinderhook Senior Center and neighboring buildings, then spreading to other possible locations such as Golden Harvest Farms, and even Ichabod Crane Central School.
Alternative energy sources being considered by the committee include solar, wind and bio-fuels, though according to discussion in previous meetings, the latter is less likely to happen on a larger scale.
The most recent meeting occurred on June 25, and showcased the bill which Assemblyman Gordon hopes to put into effect, as well as a presentation by several members of The Grant Writers, who explained possible grant and funding opportunities for the project. The committee also discussed possible backup plans - such as entering into an agreement with a neighboring alternative energy community - in case of an emergency where the town could not provide the necessary power to the residents.
“I’m very encouraged by the participation at these meetings,” Bujanow told the Register Star. “There really seems to be a growing interest in the project.”
To reach reporter Paul Crossman, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2266,
or e-mail pcrossman@registerstar.com.
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