New York State Public Service Commission Denies Motion to Vacate Portion of Issues Ruling for Hoffman Falls Wind Project

Strategic Insights -

The New York State Public Service Commission has issued a regulatory document denying a motion to vacate a portion of the issues ruling for the Hoffman Falls Wind project, a 100-Megawatt (MW) wind energy facility in Madison County. The motion, submitted by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) staff, sought to cancel the adjudicatory hearing and vacate the portion of the issues ruling concluding that an adjudicatory hearing is necessary to develop the record on potential impacts to the County's E911 system from microwave interference.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (ORES) staff moved to vacate a portion of the issues ruling, arguing that the hearing should be cancelled due to insufficient evidence presented by Madison County.
  • The final microwave expert report submitted by Madison County on July 21, 2025, was deemed insufficient to warrant a hearing by ORES staff, as it did not confirm or rule out the County experts' preliminary opinion regarding effects from turbine 6.
  • The applicant, Hoffman Falls Wind, LLC, supported ORES staff's motion, arguing that Madison County's final report contains inaccuracies and inconsistencies and fails to add new analysis.
  • Madison County argued that ORES staff has not demonstrated procedural entitlement to vacatur and that the motion improperly seeks summary resolution on issues of fact and credibility.
  • The Administrative Law Judges denied the motion in its entirety, finding that the County's final expert report meets the burden of demonstrating potential unavoided impacts to the County's E911 system.

Statistics:

  • The Hoffman Falls Wind project is a 100-Megawatt (MW) wind energy facility located in Madison County.
  • The motion was submitted on July 25, 2025, and denied in its entirety on August 4, 2025.
  • The final microwave expert report was submitted by Madison County on July 21, 2025.

Sources:

  • New York State Public Service Commission, RULING ON MOTION TO VACATE PORTION OF ISSUES RULING, Matter Number 23-02976, August 4, 2025.