“Recharge New York” Allocates Reduced Power to Small Business

Every business requires energy to operate and it comes as no surprise that New York’s high energy costs are a major barrier to job creation and a significant contributor to our state’s high cost of doing business (NY ranks 2^nd nationally). Energy costs rank among the biggest concerns of NFIB members year after year. The 2010 Small Business and Entrepreneurship Councils’ study ranked New York 48^th in terms of energy costs. For these reasons, NFIB was pleased to successfully advocate the enactment of the Recharge New York Program.

Prior to the Recharge New York program being finalized in 2011, New York operated by way of annual extenders under an economic development power program called ‘Power for Jobs’. This new version creates a permanent energy program, which will provide a much needed operating cost reduction for small businesses across the State, by providing low cost electric power and long-term renewable contracts. Small businesses committed to maintaining jobs, wages and investments in New York were able to apply for low cost power benefits, through competition, for a dedicated pool of power.

The first round of Recharge New York allocations were released by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) on April 25th. Over 1,000 entities applied for allotments of the lower cost power and nearly 600 megawatts were awarded to over 400 businesses in return for their retention of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in capital investments. NYPA generally awarded business applicants 50% of the requested allocation or 50% of their historic demand, whichever is less and capped the allotment at 10 megawatts per applicant.

NFIB/NY is pleased to announce that NFIB members from all regions of New York were among those approved for the first round of Recharge New York allocations and we encourage more of our members to apply and take advantage of this program.

For more information on the Recharge New York program and to apply for access to future reduced power allotments, visit the Recharge New York website at: http://www.nypa.gov/RechargeNY/default.htm

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About Mike Durant

Mike Durant was named New York State Director of NFIB in May 2011. Prior to joining NFIB as the Assistant State Director in May 2010, Durant began his career in the New York Senate working in the Office of Member Services. From there, he served in a number of positions during former New York Governor George E. Pataki’s administration. As a Research Specialist in the New York State Office of Demographic Policy, Mike was responsible for drafting a redistricting proposal for Governor Pataki. In addition, Mike served as a Research Specialist for the Empire State Development Corporation, as well as the Associate Commissioner of Human Resource Management with the New York Department of Labor. Durant also spent four years working at the Questar III BOCES as a specialist focusing on the complex formulas that drive aid to school districts across the state while also taking a lead role in the state legislative/budget process as it related to education policy. These past positions have given Mike a deep understanding of the complex political economics of the State of New York. Active in the community, Durant has served on a number of boards in both the village of Ballston Spa and Town of Milton. Durant received his bachelor’s degree from Siena College in Loudonville, New York and resides in Ballston Spa with his wife and two children.

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