(WKTV) - In light of the President's address Tuesday night discussing job creation and energy sources, New York Regional Interconnect is comparing its power line project to the recently discussed infrastructure improvements throughout the country.

NYRI recently purchased space in "The Capitol," a publication that says it is "for and about New York State government."

The advertorial says the state shouldn't attempt to turn away its proposed $2 billion dollar power line project. NYRI claims it is keeping with the president's infrastructure goals about renewable energy sources and creating jobs.

The NYRI advertorial appears as follows:

How Can NY State Encourage More Infrastructure Investments like NYRI's Proposed $2 Billion Transmission Project?

"To accelerate the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double our capacity to generate alternative sources of energy like wind, solar, and biofuels over the next three years. We'll begin to build a new electricity grid that lays down more than 3,000 miles of transmission lines to convey this new energy from coast to coast."

-- President Barack Obama, January 24, 2009, from his first Weekly Address after being sworn in as President

Long before President Barack Obama called for reinvigorating the country's electrical infrastructure system to create jobs and encourage the development of renewable energy, New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) proposed exactly this type of energy infrastructure upgrade in New York.

NYRI, a group of private investors experienced in energy infrastructure projects, wants to invest $2 billion of its own private capital in New York State to help rebuild the state's aging electrical transmission system.

Now under review by the Public Service Commission, our proposed transmission line is a direct response to the congestion problems in New York's electrical grid, well documented by the U.S. DOE, the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation as well as other private and public studies.

Congestion on the electrical grid directly costs New York's ratepayers millions of dollars every year and contributes to New York having among the highest electricity rates in the country.

For the benefit of all New Yorkers and for the country, we urge all elected officials to support NYRI. In addition to improving energy reliability, NYRI's private capital investment in transmission means jobs, increased tax revenues, and further development of clean renewable energy sources that rely on transmission. After NYRI is built, host communities and schools throughout upstate New York would receive over $30 million annually in property tax payments.

The project would be built at no cost to taxpayers at a time when our deeply stressed state budget would be hard-pressed to pay for a large infrastructure upgrade. Discouraging such a project also creates a severe chilling effect on other would-be private investments in New York.

NYRI remains committed to addressing concerns raised not only by elected officials, but by any stakeholder in the proposed project. Only through this type of engagement can we ensure the NYRI project provides the maximum number of benefits to the majority of New York State.

What we cannot afford is to let our businesses, schools, hospitals and homes be impacted by transmission constraints before we take action. Today, more than ever, leadership means finding ways to work together to encourage and support private investment in our long-term energy future.