Albany – Assemblymember Kevin Cahill (D – Ulster, Dutchess), Chair of the Assembly Energy Committee, released the following statement on the response to the New York Energy Highway Task Force’s Request for Information:

“The State has more than enough power to meet our electricity needs. Upgrades to the existing transmission system would make better use of New York’s resources, including clean renewable energy. One of the biggest problems of the deregulated energy market has been the failure to take on the transmission bottlenecks that existed for decades. Addressing these challenges represents one of the most effective ways to lower consumer costs, improve air quality and strengthen New York’s energy security.

“The responses to the RFI put a spotlight on the challenges New York’s energy infrastructure is up against and the urgent need to move forward with a range of solutions to develop a 21st century system. Though it is a critical component, modernizing our transmission lines is not the only answer. Investments in efficiency, solar generation, smart grid and energy storage will all play essential roles. A coordinated plan to integrate all of these innovations will help create and sustain thousands of jobs across the state and insulate New York from the inevitable rise of natural gas prices and the very real impact of climate change.

“Last century, New York committed to developing our hydroelectric resources, which in turn drove the development of the electric system we have today. As that infrastructure nears the end of its lifespan, we have an opportunity to once again take equally bold actions to fundamentally transform the way we produce, deliver and use energy in the future.”

You can view the responses and more information about the New York Energy Highway Task Force here: http://www.nyenergyhighway.com/.