Schumer: Army Contract for Reenergy to Provide Renewable Power to Ft. Drum Needs Final Approval - Senator Pushes for Expedited Sigh-Off

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the Army to expeditiously sign off on the just-announced contract for ReEnergy Holdings LLC to produce energy from biomass for Ft. Drum for the next 20 years. The Defense Logistics Agency of the Department of Defense has announced its intention to award the contract to ReEnergy, which now must be approved by the Army and the Office of the Secretary of the Defense. Schumer is seeking a more expeditious approval because ReEnergy is in a position to begin supplying power right away, and because, according to Schumer, "There's no time to waste in making Ft. Drum energy independent."

The project will create more than 30 new jobs at the plant and more than 140 new jobs in ReEnergy's biomass supply chain. Schumer said, "The contract is a win-win for a growing renewable energy producer in the North Country and for Ft. Drum, which will have a reliable, low-cost and clean energy source located inside the fence, creating energy security and independence and putting Ft. Drum at the forefront of the Army's ambitious renewable energy goals."

"Now that the Defense Logistics Agency, part of the Department of Defense, has made their intentions to award ReEnergy a 20-year contract loud and clear, I am urging the Army to give its final stamp of approval as soon as possible. This contract is great news for this marquee North Country energy company and for Ft. Drum, and we need it to be approved sooner than later because we've been waiting far too long to make Ft. Drum energy secure," said Senator Schumer.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy, in close coordination with the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF), issued the Notice of Intent (NOI) to Award to ReEnergy Holdings LLC for the purchase of up to 28 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the renewable energy biomass facility at Ft. Drum. This project will include a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and provide the installation with 100 percent energy security and sustainability.

Schumer noted that this is the Army's largest renewable energy project to date, and the second EITF project to reach this milestone. The EITF remains committed to executing large-scale renewable energy projects to achieve the Army goal of one (1) gigawatt of Renewable Energy by 2025. The EITF now has eight projects in the contracts and agreements phase representing nearly 175 MW of potential capacity.

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