According to National Grid, the project would have enabled it to deliver energy at a faster rate during peak energy use times, such as during cold snaps, which the utilityBut last month, the state Public Service Commissionthe vaporizers would not be required to meet energy demands for at least the next five years or potentially longer. As a result, the state would not reimburse National Grid for $38.8 million in costs the utility had incurred in developing the project.
for the company to halt expansion of gas infrastructure in North Brooklyn, citing concerns over the health risks the vaporizers could pose to nearby residents and the need for New York City to transition away from using non-renewable energy sources like gas. “This is a huge victory for the North Brooklyn community and for advocates for environmental justice everywhere,” said Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who represents parts of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. “We are well past the point where we can afford to build new fossil fuel infrastructure.”
For more than three years, lawmakers and advocates have protested National Grid’s projects in the neighborhood, including a fight to“The fact is, we are moving New York City to renewable energy,” said Kim Fraczek, director of the state environmental advocacy group Sane Energy. “We're talking about energy efficiency, building electrification — we don't need the gas anymore.
National Grid said in a statement Monday that it believes bringing the vaporizers online remains necessary for the company to maintain a reliable energy supply, as well as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing older, less efficient equipment.Donate today and receive our new limited-edition bag.