CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

ALBANY, N.Y., Aug 27, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Today, the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) officially deemed complete the Article VII application submitted by New York Regional Interconnect Inc. (NYRI) to build a 190-mile transmission line to bring electrical energy from upstate New York to meet the growing demand in the southeastern part of the state. The ruling indicates that the PSC has accepted NYRI's comprehensive filing which includes numerous and voluminous studies examining the economic and environmental impacts of the proposed line, as well as different routing options.

"We are very pleased by the PSC's decision and were optimistic all along that we would be judged fairly by the merits of our project," said Chris Thompson, president of NYRI. "This is a significant milestone and turning point for NYRI, as it represents more than two and a half years of hard work and investment in the project, which will ultimately benefit all New Yorkers and improve New York's energy future. NYRI is historic on many levels -- as it will be the first major transmission upgrade from upstate to downstate New York in more than 20 years -- and we believe that this latest development brings us another step closer to helping New York relieve system congestion and increase reliability while providing important local economic development opportunities and environmental benefits."

NYRI submitted its original Article VII application in May 2006 and a multi-volume supplemental filing in February. NYRI has submitted additional project details and documentation to the PSC since that time. The PSC's latest ruling will lead to a series of public statement hearings in communities along the proposed transmission line route in the fall. In addition, the Administrative Law Judges assigned to hear the case will establish a schedule for evidentiary hearings.

As NYRI has demonstrated in its Article VII application, the project will bring significant economic advantages to host communities in the form of reduced electricity rates, some 300 jobs during the construction phase of the project, the local sourcing of goods and materials and the payment of property taxes. NYRI's tax payments to host municipalities and school districts alone are estimated to total more than $37.2 million annually.

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