Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that the New York State Public Service Commission has approved rebuilding a critically important 100-mile transmission line in the North Country that is needed to meet the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The project, known as Smart Path Connect, represents an upgrade to the transmission backbone system of New York that will improve reliability throughout the State. It will complement the previously approved Smart Path and AC Transmission projects and it will reduce congestion and curtailments currently impacting renewable generation and reduce the costs of delivered power for customers. The Smart Path Connect project will eliminate existing curtailments and provide congestion cost savings of more than US$ 447 million.
The North Country transmission line is owned and operated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and National Grid. The project consists of rebuilding approximately 100 miles of existing 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines to either 230 kV or 345 kV along with associated substation construction and upgrades along the existing right-of- way in Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Lewis and Oneida counties.
The project includes rebuilding all or parts of: NYPA's Moses-Willis 1 & 2 lines, NYPA's Willis-Patnode and Willis-Ryan lines; and National Grid's Adirondack to Porter line, the extension of the existing 230 kV Rector Road to Chases Lake Line 10, as well as connecting to NYPA's Smart Path (also known as Moses-Adirondack 1 & 2 or MA 1 & 2) right-of-way. The project is needed to realize the potential for renewable energy development in Northern New York.
"Once the Smart Path Connect project and the other projects like it are in service, they would provide a continuous 345 kV transmission system significantly improving the deliverability of renewable generation from northern and western New York. For its part, Smart Path will provide economic benefits through reduced curtailments. It will improve reliability, serve the interests of electric system economy and reliability, and provide increased transmission capability for renewable resources required to meet the State's obligations under the Climate Act." said Rory M. Christian, Chair of the PSC.
New York is making significant upgrades and additions to the state's existing transmission and distribution systems to integrate new large-scale renewable energy projects into the State's energy supply. The approved projects provide an important opportunity to achieve significant Climate Act benefits for the State as a whole.
In addition to approving the Smart Path Connect project, the PSC in separate, but related, actions decided the following:
- Canisteo Wind Transmission: Approved construction of a 14.6-mile, transmission line the towns of Canisteo, Jasper and Hornellsville, Steuben County, that will connect the 290.7-MW Canisteo Wind Farm to the electric grid. Canisteo is one of the largest wind farms in New York State. The transmission project is needed to connect the Canisteo Wind Farm to the State's electric grid and thereby provide renewable energy to the electric system in furtherance of the greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives set forth in the Climate Act.
- Central Hudson: Approved construction of Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation's transmission line known as the H&SB project, which calls for rebuilding 23.6-miles of transmission lines in the City of Kingston, and Towns of Ulster and Saugerties in Ulster County, and the Town of Catskill and Village of Catskill, Greene County. The rebuild will help meet the energy needs of local communities, address aging infrastructure and to enhance electric service reliability.
- Sound Cable: Approved NYPA's request to amend its plans for its Sound Cable transmission line, an existing 26-mile submarine transmission cable connecting the Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. 345 kV Sprain Brook substation, located in Westchester County, to the Long Island Power Authority East Garden City substation, located in Nassau County. This approval would enhance the reliability of the Sound Cable Project. Additionally, NYPA will install eight new underground utility vaults in Nassau County and replace fiber optic communication cables on the upland portions of the Sound Cable Project in Nassau and Westchester counties.
