PSEG Long Island has completed upgrades to an important transmission line running between East Shoreham and Riverside, which will help ensure the infrastructure continues to meet growing demand in the area.
Construction work on the Wildwood to Riverhead Conversion Project began in January 2020, with Phase 2 beginning in January 2021. The 10.6-mile line was upgraded to handle 138 kV, along with upgrades to substation equipment at the Wildwood and Riverhead substations. It was energized on June 1, in time for the peak demand months of summer.
"Electric demand continues to grow on the East End and PSEG Long Island is committed to providing our customers with excellent reliability," said Peggy Keane, PSEG Long Island's vice president of construction and operations services. "This upgraded transmission line will help ensure we have the capacity to meet that demand."
PSEG Long Island's electric grid consists of three primary elements: electric transmission lines that carry high-voltage power from generation sources, substations that receive the electricity from the transmission lines and step it down to a lower voltage, and distribution lines that carry the lower-voltage electricity into the neighborhoods.
PSEG Long Island coordinated with the state Public Service Commission, the state Department of Public Service, the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the state Department of Transportation, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, and the Long Island Farm Bureau to minimize the impact of this necessary project.
Electric Infrastructure Improvements
Across Long Island and the Rockaways, PSEG Long Island has prepared the electric infrastructure for summer by focusing on substation, transmission, and distribution improvements, as well as circuit and equipment inspections using drones, helicopters, and infrared technology.
PSEG Long Island's other recent infrastructure improvements include:
- New transformers installed in Elmont, Uniondale, Culloden Point, Roslyn, Far Rockaway, and Flowerfield substations to provide additional capacity during peak demand.
- Four new distribution feeder lines installed in Elmont, Uniondale, Roslyn, and Flowerfield areas to accommodate load growth.
- Six distribution circuits upgraded in Kings Point, North Hills, Massapequa, Mitchel Gardens, Lake Success, and Rockaway Beach to improve circuit reliability.
- 37 transmission system circuit breakers added or replaced for enhanced system reliability.
- A new transmission circuit installed between the Riverhead and Canal substations.
These upgrades will ensure that nearby communities receive safe, reliable electric power for years to come.
