New Yorkers nervous about possible electricity shortages

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09:33 EDT Thursday

New Yorkers nervous about possible electricity shortages New Yorkers are having second thoughts about the effectiveness of energy deregulation on ensuring a reliable supply of electric power. More than 60 percent of people answering a recent poll believe power shortages and other problems similar to those now affecting California could happen in New York state.

The poll, conducted by the Siena Research Institute in Loudonville, also found that only a third of the poll respondents believe the state and federal governments have effective energy policies.

"New Yorkers are clearly nervous about whether brownouts and blackouts may be headed their way," said Thomas Kelly, co-director of the research institute, in a prepared statement. "The belief was that electric deregulation was a way to encourage competition and lower prices. But given the problems taking place in California, I think many are becoming concerned about how sound that belief may have been and what the ultimate effects will be."

Two-thirds of the 623 adult residents polled supported the construction of more power plants in the state. An almost equal number said they would oppose building new nuclear generating plants, however.

The Siena survey also found that 84 percent of all New Yorkers said they have been affected by high energy prices in the last year, up from 76 percent in a poll taken a year ago.

Copyright 2001 American City Business Journals Inc.

http://albany.bcentral.com/albany/stories/2001/04/09/daily30.html?t=printable

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), April 13, 2001


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