News Release

January 30, 2007

REGULATING DISTRICT HOLDS CONSULTATION MEETING CONCERNING HIGH RELEASES AND DOWNSTREAM FLOWS
  

On Friday, January 26, 2007 the Hudson River - Black River Regulating District held a consultation meeting with representatives from the Department of Environmental Conservation, Fulton and Saratoga Counties and downstream hydroelectric and municipal signatories to the Upper Hudson / Sacandaga River Offer of Settlement at the Regulating District’s Sacandaga Field Office.  The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Regulating District’s decision to release more water from the Great Sacandaga Lake, exceeding the flow limitations of the Upper Hudson / Sacandaga River Offer of Settlement.  The consultation meeting, at which approximately twenty people attended, is mandated by the Offer of Settlement.   

“The consultation meeting was well attended by the various groups involved, and a beneficial discussion was held by all participants,” said Robert S. Foltan, P.E., Chief Engineer of the Regulating District.

The Regulating District provided participants with a summary of the circumstances leading to the decision to deviate from the Offer of Settlement flow limitations, anticipated consequences and an estimate of the approximate duration of the exceedance.

“The Regulating District’s meeting on current conditions at Great Sacandaga Lake was beneficial and informative and satisfied the obligations pertaining to ‘exceptions of operation’ as defined in the Settlement Agreement,” stated Gary M. Franc, Project Manager of US Hydro Development at Brookfield Power.  “As stated at the meeting, the current high elevation on the Great Sacandaga Lake is a result of abnormally above average air temperatures that have occurred throughout the early winter months.  Precipitation that is typically stored within the snow pack and only released in the spring is currently flowing into the lake.  Given the above

normal inflows, the settlement rules of operation have performed as expected.  Brookfield Power will continue to work with the Regulating District to ensure a safe and coordinated operation of the Sacandaga and Hudson Rivers throughout the Dow valve repair period.”

The Regulating District’s decision to deviate from the maximum flow limitations of the Offer of Settlement is a result of the District’s need to declare a second valve inoperable after an abnormal vibration was detected.  The excess water released since January 12 will provide additional storage capacity for the immediate future and compensate for the temporary loss of two valves scheduled for repair.  Although the releases are higher than normal, the excess water poses no flood threat to the Hudson River.

Mr. Foltan will reevaluate the situation when the reservoir reaches an elevation of  760.0 feet.  Currently, the Great Sacandaga Lake is being lowered by approximately six inches per day.