Paterson signs bill to create North Country Power Authority

Gov. David A. Paterson signed into law Friday legislation that creates the North Country Power Authority, the agency that plans to form a public utility system for 24 municipalities in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties.

"We've gone from pie-in-the-sky to reality," said Robert C. Best Jr., chairman of Alliance for Municipal Power, the organization that pushed for creation of the authority as the best way to negotiate with National Grid on taking over its distribution system.

Both state Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, and Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, who introduced the legislation in their respective houses, issued congratulations.

"It's been a long time coming," Mr. Aubertine said. "Over the last couple of years, there's been several renditions of this bill but the essence of what we're trying to do has been kept intact. It's certainly an opportunity to drive down electric rates and make us more competitive in the north country. It's clear that these things don't happen every day."

The next step will be to constitute the authority board. Local elected officials will pick seven members of the board and the governor another two members.

AMP has already been working on a set of bylaws and policies for the authority to consider and is drafting a budget. Financing will initially come from AMP's member communities. The authority may borrow money to hire a staff. Eventually, the utility will be financed by its users.