Photos courtesy of AKRF.
A new proposal would see green energy solutions being built just next door to the former nuclear plant.
AKRF, an environmental engineering company, has proposed to develop 54 acres of offshore wind turbine infrastructure, dubbed “Port Cortlandt,” on the southwest edge of Verplanck.
With the shutdown and decommissioning of Indian Point Energy Center, the wind turbine would be a step in transitioning the state to green energy sources while reducing the severity of economic loss as the nuclear plant closes. Port Cortlandt is one of eleven available sites to construct wind turbines, and would assist New York State in its goal of producing 9,000 megawatts of offshore energy by 2035.
The federal Energy Information Agency reports that New York State currently produces almost 13 gigawatts of energy, of which roughly half is derived from non-renewable resources such as gas or coal. The reduction of the state’s dependency on non-renewable resources and nuclear energy not only guarantees the quality of our environment improving, but will also decrease resident’s health risk from air and water pollutants while ceasing the fears of nuclear accidents.
In addition to fulfilling New York’s climate agenda, the benefits of the turbine would be seen directly in the Town of Cortlandt. It is estimated that just 2,400 megawatts of energy produced from offshore wind energy would create upwards of 5,000 new jobs as well as $6 billion in local economic profits.
James F. Creighton, Town Councilman for the Town of Cortlandt says, “The announcement that Port Cortlandt could help support the green infrastructure needs of New York State while bringing major investment and good paying union jobs to our community is welcome news here in Cortlandt.”
With the efforts and support of involved companies developing the infrastructure, Michael P. Lee, President of AKRF, remarks that the results “will help Port Cortlandt succeed in attracting public and private investment, creating green jobs, and securing New York’s renewable energy future for generations to come.”
The project is currently competing with other port infrastructure projects for $200 million in funding and will be further discussed with property owners in the Town of Cortlandt throughout the month of October.
