New York Commission Approves Transmission Changes for 4 Upstate Projects

The New York State Public Service Commission has approved modifications to four transmission projects in New York to ensure reliability and improved distribution of clean energy across the State.

While the primary purpose and benefit of these projects are climate mitigation and improving reliability, the secondary benefits are construction jobs and tax payments to local municipalities due to the expected capital investment of the projects.

“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, and we must ensure that these investments are smart and cost-effective,” said Commission Chair Rory M. Christian. “The modifications to existing or under-development transmission line projects we are approving today meet that definition.”

The four modifications are as listed below:

Rochester Transmission Project: The Commission granted Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation’s request to amend its certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Rochester Transmission Project. The project includes the construction of a new 115 kilovolt (kV) line approximately 6.7 miles in length beginning in the Town of Gates and ending in the City of Rochester, both in Monroe County. The project also includes the expansion of two substations, one in the Town of Gates and one in the City of Rochester, and the reconstruction of three existing transmission lines. The project is needed to increase reliability and strengthen the 115 kV network in western Rochester and will connect the expanded substations to address issues of low voltages and thermal overloads in the Rochester area.
Smart Path: The Commission granted the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) request seeking changes to the $484 million rebuild of the 86-mile, 230 kV Moses-Adirondack 1&2 line, to become the Haverstock-Adirondack 1&2 line. NYPA sought Commission approval to operate what will become the Haverstock-Adirondack line at 345 kV; eliminate upgrades to a switchyard and substation and a 1.8 mile portion of right-of-way south of the Moses switchyard, all of which are no longer needed due to the separate, but related, Smart Path Connect project; and authorize an approximately 0.8 mile reroute from the north side of NYS Highway Route 131 to the south side of Route 131 in the Town of Massena, St. Lawrence County. When completed, the two segments of Smart Path Connect will join the Smart Path project, creating one continuous upgraded transmission line that traverses Oneida, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Franklin, and Clinton counties.
Lockport-Batavia: The Commission granted minor waivers regarding National Grid’s application for the utility’s rebuild of its 35-mile Lockport-Batavia transmission project in Niagara and Genesee counties. National Grid sought approval to use the most recent topographic maps prepared by the United States Geological Survey to show the location, length and capacity of the proposed facility. The utility also sought a waiver to use certain types of aerial photographs.
Champlain Hudson: The Commission approved the Lake Champlain pre-lay mattressing segment (Segment 18A) filed by Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. and CHPE Properties, Inc., to install concrete mattresses to protect co-located submarine infrastructure in Lake Champlain in the Towns of Champlain and Chazy in Clinton County, and the Towns of Crown Point and Ticonderoga in Essex County.