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Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski, said he is sponsoring legislation to direct millions of dollars to FitzPatrick nuclear plant in an effort to keep the facility open.

(NRC)

Updated at 9:50 a.m. with comment from Entergy

SCRIBA, N.Y. - Two state legislators from Central New York are sponsoring bills aimed at preventing the shutdown of FitzPatrick nuclear plant in Oswego County by directing millions of dollars in tax credits and clean energy payments to the facility.

Assemblyman Will Barclay

Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski, said he introduced two bills, one of which would provide a one-time $60 million tax credit to FitzPatrick. The second bill would make nuclear plants eligible for "zero-carbon emission" payments, funded by utility ratepayers, comparable to the renewable energy credits earned by wind- and hydro-power facilities.

Both bills will be sponsored in the Senate by state Sen. Patty Ritchie, R- Oswegatchie, Barclay said.

It's not clear how much support the legislation will have. Barclay said he has not yet discussed the bills with Entergy Corp., the owner of FitzPatrick, or with his Assembly colleagues and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Barclay said he plans to spend the next week lining up support from Oswego County officials, labor unions and others with an interest in the plant before he circulates the legislation in Albany.

Entergy announced in November that it plans to close FitzPatrick by early 2017 because the plant loses money. The company estimated the shutdown will save up to $275 million through 2020.

Company officials said they would review Barclay's proposals, but they are proceeding with their plan to close the nuclear plant.

"Nothing has changed that would alleviate the significant financial challenges facing the plant,'' said Tammy Holden, speaking for the company. "We will study the proposed legislation but are proceeding with our shutdown plans.''

Barclay, Ritchie and other elected officials representing Oswego County have lobbied for months for state action to prevent the 850-megawatt FitzPatrick plant's closure. But after two months of negotiations between Entergy and the Cuomo administration yielded no solution to the plant's financial woes, Entergy officials notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission that it would shut the plant down.

Barclay said it's important to sustain New York's six nuclear reactors because they provide carbon-free electricity.

"It is time for New York State to recognize the importance of nuclear power and support the industry like it does with other zero-carbon power producers,'' he said.

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