Evaluation of Proposed Astoria Gas Turbine in New York
Sierra Club
Project Completed 2021
On behalf of the Sierra Club, Synapse prepared a written technical report addressing the consistency of NRG Energy's proposed Astoria Gas Turbine Replacement Project with New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and a technical evaluation of NRG’s identified justifications for the project. The report addressed whether adding new fossil fuel generation is consistent with the CLCPA’s mandate that New York achieve 100 percent zero-emission generation by 2040. In addition, the report evaluated NRG’s proffered justifications regarding:
- reliability (in light of recently approved local and bulk transmission upgrades);
- cost implications;
- localized air emissions;
- facilitating renewable integration over relevant time scales; and
- provision of black start capability.