Colleen Roche/David Wheeler 212-575-4545  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TRANSGAS ENERGY SEEKS APPROVAL TO BUILD & OPERATE

STATE-OF-THE-ART, ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND

NATURAL GAS COGENERATION FACILITY

Billion Dollar Architecturally Distinguished Project

Will Help Revitalize Brooklyn’s Waterfront 

TransGas Energy (TGE) announced that it is seeking approval from the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment to construct and operate a combined cycle natural gas cogeneration power plant, with a capacity of approximately 1,100 megawatts at One North 12^th Street on the East River waterfront between Greenpoint and Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  TGE also asked for approval to install steam production capability so the plant could serve the New York City steam distribution system.  TGE filed for Article X approval under the New York State Public Service Law this week.     

The proposed state-of-the-art power plant will convert natural gas to electricity, producing energy much more efficiently and cleanly than the facilities that are currently operating in New York City.  The high performance plant will also be quiet and free of perceptible odors, dust, vibration, heat and humidity, while the stunning architectural design will create a vibrant and inviting atmosphere.  

“As a native Brooklynite, I am extremely proud of this architecturally beautiful and environmentally sound facility,” said Adam Victor, President of TransGas Energy.  “It will become an important anchor and economic engine, providing jobs, generating millions of dollars in economic activity and spurring additional future investment right here in Greenpoint-Williamsburg.  It will also result in a clean, reliable source of energy, less air pollution and a major soil clean-up.  In sum, the TGE facility is a win-win proposition for all New York.”

TGE’s facility will provide clean energy for New Yorkers at lower prices, allowing some of New York City’s older, heavily-polluting plants to be taken off-line.  The site was chosen due to its appropriate zoning and proximity to critical infrastructure.  The plant is scheduled to be in service in 2006.  

Among the project’s other significant benefits are:

Air Quality

The facility will meet stringent public health standards, and incorporate controls for a variety of pollutants.  Air pollutant concentrations due to the facility will be negligible.  Because the TGE facility is expected to supplant older, dirtier power plants, there will be less air pollutant deposition in Greenpoint-Williamsburg.  

Brownfield Cleanup

The proposed project site is heavily contaminated with both petroleum and coal tar wastes.  Both soil and groundwater are severely polluted.  TGE has entered into a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and, as part of this proposal, will remediate the site, which was polluted by others.  No taxpayer dollars will be spent on the clean-up. 

Design and Community Use

The distinctive facility – unlike any other power plant – will be an important part of the Williamsburg-Greenpoint waterfront with its beautiful landscaping, office space, meeting and community rooms, and gallery and display spaces.  A single sleek elliptical structure will house the exhaust stacks.  Design plans will utilize solar panels (photovoltaic cells), as well as high quality material including terracotta, glass, titanium and metal curtain wall systems.  

The TGE facility was designed by award-winning New York architect Jeffrey White, (RA, NCARB) of Direct Design Enterprises, in collaboration with Clough Harbor and Associates, LLP, and TGE’s Jonathan Arnold.  The trend-setting design is also based on concepts from the acclaimed artist designer Michael Singer, who was retained by TGE. The world renowned firm Philip Johnson Alan Ritchie Architects was also retained by TGE to create an alternative design concept. Ecologically-oriented alternative designs by Michael Singer have also been published.

Land Use and Planning

The TGE plant will become an anchor facility for a new and revitalized north Brooklyn waterfront.  TGE’s facility will rehabilitate an active industrial site located in a drab, pedestrian-unfriendly industrial area.  The existing business, a fuel oil terminal, will relocate and consolidate its operations at other Brooklyn terminals, eliminating the traffic of 300 diesel trucks a day from this waterfront area.

Jobs and the Economy 

The TGE facility will be privately financed.  An economic engine, this project will translate into jobs and increased economic activity in New York.  Counting both direct and induced employment and investment, the TGE facility could be responsible for the creation of more than 1,000 local short-term jobs and 100 local permanent jobs.  

Energy Reliability

The TGE facility will help to ensure that adequate in-City capacity exists, particularly during periods of inclement weather, unusually high demand, or outages, when reliance on out-of-city resources must be limited.   With its “blackstart” capability, TGE can also re-energize the electric system more quickly if a catastrophic outage occurs.  The facility will also provide for a new and “hardened” switchyard in Brooklyn.  Unlike traditional switchyards, this switchyard will utilize gas-insulated technology, allowing the facility to be small enough to be fully enclosed in an architectural landmark building.  If an agreement is reached with Con Edison for steam supply, the New York City steam system will benefit from this reliable new supply of steam. 

All major power projects in New York State must receive approval through the extensive Article X siting process which ensures that electricity generating plants are built responsibly and with appropriate governmental, public and community input.  To gain Article X approval, the TGE facility must be compatible with all applicable public health, safety and environmental regulations. 

The Article X application, which is available for inspection at a number of public locations, includes a complete description of the proposed site and facility; environmental and other studies; proof that the facility will meet all state and federal health, safety and environmental regulations, and a detailed report of TGE’s efforts to involve the local community.  Approval is determined by the seven-member Siting Board, made up of two community members and environmental, health, economic and energy experts.  

Prior to filing for Article X, TGE has held public meetings and sent out mailings to the local community.  Under Article X, an intervenor fund will be established to help community groups and the local government pay for consultants and experts of their choosing.   

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