Champlain Hudson Power Express Begins Delivering Power to New York City

This underground and underwater high-voltage transmission project connects Montreal to Queens, supporting New York's energy resilience, economic growth, and environmental goals while creating over 1,400 jobs and investing $3.4 billion.

June 18, 2026

3 min read

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The HOS Mystique laying protective mattresses in the Hudson River. — The *HOS Mystique* laying protective mattresses in the Hudson River.

The 339-mile Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) transmission project has begun delivering electricity from Canada to New York City, marking a major milestone for one of New York's largest transmission infrastructure projects in recent decades.

According to New York state officials, the project is expected to deliver approximately 10.4 terawatt-hours of electricity annually to the New York metropolitan area, supplying enough power to meet up to 20% of New York City's electricity needs.

The 1,250-MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line extends from Montreal, Quebec, to the Astoria Energy Complex in Queens, New York. The line connects to the grid through the expanded Astoria Annex substation operated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA). NYPA also supported construction of the nearly four-mile Astoria Rainey Cable, which links the Astoria Annex to Con Edison's Rainey substation.

Selected in 2021 through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's (NYSERDA) Tier 4 solicitation, construction on the project began in 2022. The project was developed by Transmission Developers Inc. (TDI) in partnership with Hydro-Québec.

State officials said the transmission line is expected to reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 37 million metric tons through 2040 while providing an additional source of electricity for the downstate region. The project was designed to help address energy needs in New York City following the closure of the Indian Point nuclear generating station.

CHPE is the longest fully buried transmission line in North America, with sections installed underground and underwater. Project developers said the routing approach was intended to minimize environmental and community impacts while enhancing reliability.

The project is expected to generate more than $3.4 billion in economic investment over the course of its 25-year contract and has supported more than 1,400 construction and operations jobs statewide. Multiple project labor agreements were executed during construction, accounting for more than three million union labor hours.

In addition, CHPE's Green Economy Fund, established at $40 million, has awarded $2 million to organizations supporting workforce development, job retraining and disadvantaged communities.

State officials described the project as a key component of New York's broader energy strategy, citing its role in delivering hydropower into a high-demand region, reducing transmission congestion and supporting future load growth.

Project stakeholders, including NYSERDA, NYPA, Hydro-Québec and TDI, said the completion of the transmission line demonstrates the growing importance of large-scale transmission infrastructure and cross-border grid connections in supporting reliability and energy supply needs.