Area Development
Two upstate New York businesses have received approval from Governor Eliot Spitzer to receive low-cost hydropower, resulting in at least 58 new jobs. According to an announcement from the governor's office, Unifrax, a manufacturer of high-performance insulation products in Tonawanda, New York, will invest $20 million to meet increased need for its products. The allocation of 3,500 kilowatts of low-cost hydropower is part of this expansion. In addition, Devil's Hole Distilling Company, a startup that will operate a premium alcoholic beverage facility in Lewiston, New York, will receive 400 kilowatts. Niagara Power Project, the largest of the New York Power Authority's 18 generating facilities and the largest single electricity source in New York State, will provide the power. "In our efforts to fuel economic expansion in Western New York, we know that low-cost hydropower will help drive job creation," says Spitzer. "In Western New York, we must take full advantage of the unique opportunities for economic expansion that the area's proximity to Niagara Falls offers businesses."