On Friday, October 29, the New York Power Authority conducted an in-depth tour of the Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Hydro project at the request of the Schoharie County Flood Committee.
The tour was organized by County Flood Committee Chair Don Airey and the NYPA Community Relations Manager CNY Mario Roefaro.
The tour included town supervisors, Office of Emergency Services and Sheriff office personnel and other interested officials.
The purpose of the tour was to facilitate a greater understanding of how the BG facility operates and further cooperation between the county and NYPA on multiple issues including hydro resource management and high-water event mitigation.
The tour included a look at the operations of the facility including the dam taintor gate systems, Operations Room and the power generation system and turbines.
Over the past two years the Flood Committee, in concert with OES has worked toward a cooperative relationship with NYPA that has enhanced the ability of the county to react to anticipated high-water events that threaten the Schoharie Valley.
NYPA has been instrumental in communicating with the OES as well as with Schoharie Valley supervisors in anticipation of an in preparation for potential flooding events.
Mr. Airey said, “NYPA has been proactive in their approach and this proactivity has led to a very open and beneficial relationship with the County and Host-Communities as it relates to Public Safety during high-water events.”
The Flood Committee is also attempting to establish the same level of cooperation with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection which operates the Gilboa Dam/Schoharie Reservoir upstream from BG.
“It is the hope and expectation of the Flood Committee and supervisors to ultimately create a cooperative working environment and agreement with both NYPA and NYCDEP to the benefit and safety of all, especially those residents, businesses and agricultural interests located in the Schoharie Valley and beyond,” Mr. Airey said.