Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Industrial Reuse Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City officials say NRG site may be repurposed; studies consider gas, nuclear, hydrogen or data center uses
Summary
City staff reported ongoing reuse planning for the decommissioned NRG power plant site; a NYSERDA-funded study and developer interest were cited, with potential fuels and reuse options discussed but no commitment made.
City staff told the City Council the city is working with NRG and other stakeholders on a reuse plan for the former NRG plant, saying the site has drawn interest from developers and data-center operators.
Vince, a city staff member who spoke during committee reports, said the city is completing a study funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Just Transition Site Reuse Planning Program and will share the final report with NRG. He said NRG has expressed interest in continuing discussions and that the city has been approached by “a number of international developers that deal in power generation, creating power generation, and, hyper scale data centers.”
Vince said that while natural gas could be a near-term fuel option to get a repowered plant online, other fuels including nuclear or hydrogen were being explored: “It would be a quicker initial, fuel to, to power, to provide power, not only for a data center, but, that could be used to sell on the grid. And in the future, nuclear or hydrogen gas or other type of fuel source is are are being explored.” He and other council members emphasized continued coordination with Chautauqua County and elected officials at the state and federal level. One council member urged prioritizing “clean energy” and protecting the city’s water.
Council members did not take a vote or adopt a plan at the meeting. Officials described the work as ongoing planning and outreach; the final NYSERDA-funded report was described as forthcoming and will inform next steps.
