The New York State Public Service Commission recently adopted criteria for identifying transmission projects that are needed urgently to meet the renewable energy goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). As part of the recent action, the commission also identified the New York Power Authority's (NYPA) proposed Northern New York project as a high-priority project and referred it to the NYPA for development and construction in accordance with the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Protection Act of 2020.
"New York's nation-leading CLCPA legislation calls for transformational quantities of renewable energy, which, in turn, requires smart new transmission to connect that power to customers," said Commission Chair John B. Rhodes. "We have adopted well-designed new rules to specifically expedite bulk transmission investments that unbottle existing and new renewables. We also have designated the first investment under these new rules, the NYPA's Northern New York project, to complete a critical link in our upstate grid and unbottle at least 950 to 1050 MW of renewable energy sources."
The Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Protection Act calls on the commission and the NYPA to work together when the commission determines that there is a need for expeditious action to solve a transmission need. Once such an urgent need is established, the act authorizes the NYPA to bring to bear its significant development capabilities and statewide transmission experience to ensure timely construction of the transmission solution.
The NYPA has already identified a multifaceted project that meets the criteria. The project now moving forward, known as the Northern New York Project, includes completion of the second phase of the NYPA's 86-mile 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, as well as rebuilding and expanding several substations along the impacted transmission corridor.
In addition to unbottling existing renewable energy in the region, the NYPA estimates the Northern New York project will result in significant production cost savings, emissions reductions, and decreases in congestion. The NYPA calculates that the project would result in production cost savings of approximately US$99 million per year, resulting in a project value of approximately US$1.05 billion over a 20-year period.
The project 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, providing a significant air quality benefit to New York City residents. The NYPA estimates the project would result in more than US$447 million in annual congestion savings in Northern New York.
Environmental and clean energy groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York strongly support efforts to identify and advance transmission projects that are needed in the near term to meet the CLCPA targets.
To build on the region's potential, the North Country Chamber of Commerce believes renewable suppliers must have transmission access to markets. It states its strong and wholehearted support for the NYPA proposal for a major upgrade of its transmission capacity across the North Country, and notes that these projects would benefit existing and planned renewable energy facilities.
The NYPA owns and operates approximately one third of New York's high-voltage power lines. These lines transmit power from the NYPA's three large hydroelectric generation facilities and independent wind power generation facilities, connecting nearly 7000 MW of renewable energy to New York State's power grid. This includes connecting more than 6300 MW of hydroelectric power and about 700 megawatts, or more than a third, of New York State generated wind energy to the grid.
