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Major transmission line rebuild in northern NY to make power grid more resilient, clean

Posted 3/30/21

MASSENA —The New York Power Authority (NYPA) today announced approval of the Northern New York Priority Transmission Project (NNYPTP), a major transmission line rebuild designed to harden the …

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Major transmission line rebuild in northern NY to make power grid more resilient, clean

Posted

MASSENA —The New York Power Authority (NYPA) today announced approval of the Northern New York Priority Transmission Project (NNYPTP), a major transmission line rebuild designed to harden the resiliency of New York’s power grid.

The project is also expected to accelerate movement toward meeting aggressive state clean energy goals.

The NNYPTP is a multi-faceted project that includes:

• completion of the second phase of NYPA’s Smart Path Moses-Adirondack rebuild

• rebuilding approximately 45 miles of transmission eastward from Massena to the Town of Clinton

• rebuilding approximately 55 miles of transmission southward from Croghan to Marcy

• rebuilding and expanding several substations along the impacted transmission corridor.

The board’s authorization paves the way for engineering and planning work to begin in preparation for the project’s environmental review and approval process through the state Public Service Commission.

The project is expected to stimulate local and regional economies by creating and supporting hundreds of clean energy construction jobs.

The authorization to “accept, develop and operate” the transmission project took place at today’s Board of Trustees meeting where the NYPA trustees also approved the selection of National Grid, an electricity, natural gas and clean energy delivery company, as the project’s co-participant.

“The Power Authority is committed to leading the charge to deliver on Governor Cuomo’s goal to build a carbon-free energy system by 2040 and we are pleased to step forward on this project with National Grid,” said Eugene L. Nicandri, NYPA Board of Trustees Vice Chair and Massena resident.

“The Northern New York Priority Transmission Project will prepare us for the energy challenges we face in the future. Building this new line will help the North Country rebound from pandemic-related job losses and deliver against a key priority in NYPA’s VISION2030 strategic plan to rapidly develop transmission circuit-miles to help build a statewide green energy superhighway.”

The NNYPTP was identified by the PSC on Oct. 15 as a priority transmission project that should move forward expeditiously under New York’s Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act.

The Project was approved for acceleration in order to help the State meet its nation-leading climate and clean energy goals set forth in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, enacted in July 2019, which calls for a zero-emissions electricity sector by 2040, 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality.

The project builds upon Gov.Andrew M. Cuomo’s announcement in his 2021 State of the State address of five transmission projects totaling 250 miles across the state that will form New York’s Green Energy Superhighway. The NNYPTP, spanning approximately 100 miles of transmission lines across the North Country and through the Mohawk Valley on the southern-most portion, is expected to begin construction next year and take approximately three years to conclude.

The Northern New York Project will help unbottle existing renewable resources in the region, and will also yield significant production cost savings, emissions reductions, and decreases in transmission congestion. It is estimated to result in more than 1.16 million tons of CO2 emissions avoided annually on a statewide basis and an annual reduction of approximately 160 tons of NOx emissions from downstate emissions sources. NYPA estimates the project will provide more than $447 million in annual congestion savings in northern New York and create hundreds of clean energy jobs during construction.

In selecting National Grid as a co-participant, NYPA cited among other things, National Grid’s extensive experience planning, developing, constructing, managing and operating transmission projects similar in type and scale to the NNYPTP as well as ownership and familiarity of property and transmission facilities that can be used to support the expeditious development of the project.

NYPA owns and operates approximately one third of New York’s high voltage power lines. The lines transmit power from NYPA’s three large hydroelectric generation facilities and independent wind power generation facilities, connecting nearly 7,000 megawatts of renewable energy to New York State’s power grid. This includes connecting more than 6,300 megawatts of hydroelectric power, including facilities in Massena, and about 700 megawatts, or more than a third, of New York State generated wind energy to the grid. NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating more than 1,400 circuit miles of transmission lines and 16 generating facilities.