Kessel defends offshore wind possibility

Richard M. Kessel, president and chief executive officer of the New York Power Authority, asked the Jefferson County Board of Legislators not to oppose the possibility of offshore wind power before a project is actually proposed.

Mr. Kessel spoke to the board during its meeting Tuesday night. NYPA has asked developers to submit proposals for up to 500 megawatts of offshore wind power in several sites in Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

"I think a decision should be made based on a real hard look at what the project is and what it isn't," he said. "It's hard to evaluate that based on the fact that there's no project to consider right now."

He said the project could result in thousands of manufacturing and construction job.

"Having a job today is more important than anything else in the world right now," he said.

Legislator Michael J. Docteur, R-Cape Vincent, pointed out that those jobs would be short-term, lasting only a year or two.

But Mr. Kessel said the region could become a key location for manufacturing and staging future offshore projects in the region.

Legislators are continuing with questions.