The time is approaching when the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will either get their license renewed, or be exposed as the phony-fakers they are. Before you decide whether to speak or (for the next half-century) hold your peace, here are some facts you ought to know:

1.    The New York State Legislature created NYPA in 1931 to provide (don’t laugh) “low-cost electricity for the people of NY.”

2.    A “not for profit” corporation, whose board of directors are appointed by Albany, NYPA operates 18 generating facilities, the most lucrative being the Niagara Power Plant. NYPA sells its power to private utilities, government, and neighboring states. In a crazy twist of fate, NYPA sells none of Niagara-generated power to Niagara area residents.

3.    The Niagara River generates more than $1 billion (true worth) of electricity per year.  NYPA doesn’t make that sum because it sells power cheaply to NYC and eight other states.

4.    Still, NYPA makes an enormous income: Being a “public benefit” corp., NYPA’s excess must be disbursed: (choose three) A: High salaries for executives (15 execs make more than the Governor). B: The creation of more Albany-patronage (199 jobs at more than $100,000). C: Useless studies and needless purchases of wasted supplies and soon-to-be-obsolete equipment, at high mark-up—awarded to companies owned by some of Albany’s most generous political donors ($100 million
in “studies” in recent years). D: Given back to the people in the form of lower electric rates.

5.    Until 1957, hydro-power was locally controlled. Niagara Falls was “The Power City.” In 1956, Compton’s Encyclopedia wrote: “Water power helped build the city of Niagara Falls. The falling of water provides a great and constant source of power for (locally-owned) hydro-electric plants which supply the city and surrounding area (with) abundant and cheap electrical power.”

6.    Following a rockslide collapse of a plant in 1957, Albany determined to gain control. NYPA Chairman, Robert Moses (ex-officio, emeritus, and esteemed former president of the Liars Club) told the people that NYPA, acting as “steward” of Niagara’s hydro-power, would be the only way to insure prosperity in this region, which was dependent on keeping power costs low. 

7.    A 50 year license (until 2007) was granted to NYPA, with the consent of the people and their local leaders. 

8.    After 50 years of NYPA “stewardship,” only two places in the USA pay more for electricity than the Niagara resident: New Hampshire and Hawaii. According to Electric Power Monthly, 25 percent of the nation pays less than half.

9.    If you searched the world, you won’t find another place that generates billions of dollars of electricity and the locals* pay nearly the highest rates in that country.  (*Being considered for the “Guinness Book of World Records” under: “World’s Stupidest People.”)

10.    Today, Niagara residents don’t get their power from the river, but from burning coal and other inefficient methods, purchased at high mark-up from National Grid, a company owned by investors from England. 

11.    As we buy expensive electricity from wealthy British investors, NYPA takes our hydro-power and sells it elsewhere at low rates.

12.    Meanwhile, NYPA swells with patronage. Instead of providing low-cost electricity for this region - which would create thousands of good-paying local jobs – the profits from our hydro-power pays for thousands of high-paying “administrative” jobs in Albany or White Plains, a suburb of NYC.

13.    Eureka: NYPA, with no direct accountability to the people, over five decades, accommodated the ten-thousand back-door, sweet- heart deals --at the behest of successive politicians - that diverted almost every benefit of having hydro-power in our midst.

14.    It isn’t true that WNY gets no benefit from NYPA: 120 of WNY (politically) favored businesses, employing 43,000 people, receive allocations of low-cost Niagara power. But how about the other 10,000 businesses? How about the one million people living in the region? There’s enough electricity generated to give everyone within 30 miles
of the river low-cost power. Do the math.

15.    Suppose you had an asset, let’s say the most dynamically descending river in the world, where billions in hydro-power is produced, and someone – say Albany, or, more specifically, NYPA, agreed to manage it for you. And let’s say you were a person of below average intellect - and you agreed, and NYPA gave you, for every dollar earned – 2 cents. Their management fee: 98%. That’s analogous to NYPA and WNY.

16.    The Niagara Power Coalition, “representing” the  region - support NYPA’s re-licensing  — in return for a microscopic  allocation of power and a seven way (municipalities/school districts) split of $5 million annually. Compared to the value of Niagara power, $5 million is five cents.

17.    NYPA deceived us and shouldn’t get renewal. Condemnation of NYPA’s power plants is the method to take our power back.

18.    Former New York governor, Franklin Roosevelt, in his effort to form NYPA, said he wanted to "give back to the people the power which is theirs." The end was right, but his means were wrong. Once they take it, Albany never, never, gives anything back.