The seven-year term power allocations will be drawn from NYPA’s Niagara hydroelectric power plant and come from the agency’s Replacement Power and Expansion Power programs.
The NYPA’s move is expected to create 643 new jobs and attract capital investments of around $206m and the three companies that are receiving the allocations include Ford Motor, Brunner International and Gracious Living USA.
Ford Motor will receive 1MW in support of its plans to renovate equipment and add ten new assembly lines at its Hamburg stamping plant with an investment of $150m. The expansion project, which is expected to complete by the end of 2014, will create around 350 new jobs.
Brunner International will receive 2.4MW allocation for its plans to construct a 45,000sq ft addition to expand the production of machined axle forgings with an investment of $15m. The company is expected to complete the expansion by fall 2014, creating 43 additional full-time jobs.
Gracious Living USA obtained a 3.7MW allocation to build an injection molding manufacturing facility and warehouse by renovating four abandoned buildings on 50 acres of property in Buffalo, creating 250 new jobs.
The Empire State Development (ESD) will provide incentive package of $8m to the Ford expansion project; as well as $750,000 to the Brunner project and $2m to Gracious Living under its Excelsior Jobs Program.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said low-cost hydropower allocations are a major win for Western New York, helping to create more than 600 new jobs, while reducing business costs to support the manufacturing industry.
"As we grow the manufacturing sector in Western New York, the State will continue to leverage these kinds of investments to strengthen the local economy," added Cuomo.
