Lawmakers, developers celebrate clean energy project
SCHODACK, N.Y. (NEWS10) – 55-miles of transmission lines, running through Rensselaer, Columbia and Dutchess counties, have increased the amount of energy that flows down state. The developer said the project makes the New York State power grid more reliable and helps the state meet its nation-leading clean energy goals.
The electricity delivery system, called the New York Energy Solution (NYES), was rebuilt on an existing transmission corridor, according to New York Transco President Vic Mullin.
“It helps the clean energy initiative of New York state and our goals to improve the resiliency of the transmission system,” said Mullin, adding it alleviated a strain on the system. “That area was historically congested, unable to transmit as much power as it can today.”
New York Transco, NYES, and lawmakers celebrated the project’s increased capacity on Wednesday – which is now able to transfer an additional 2,100 megawatts.
The new monopoles were designed to deliver energy more efficiently and that allowed the company to reduce the number of structures needed by 200.
Paul Haering, the vice president of capital investment at New York Transco, says the original corridor hadn’t been updated since it was built in the 1930s.
“This line is effectively improving the capability of the transmission system from upstate to downstate, making it much more efficient,” said Haering.
He credited the timely completion of the project to a ‘great partnership’ with labor and the state. Henry Westbrook III is president of IBEW local 1249 and said hundreds of their union members were involved with the project, which finished on budget and six months ahead of schedule.
“That’s an accomplishment, all of my members should be very proud of and once again, communication leads to safety. I can’t emphasize enough how well it’s been here with the communication for this job between all the entities,” said Westbrook. “We are used to this, we are used to these kinds of projects.”
Haering said the rebuild makes the New York state power grid more reliable and makes the energy system more storm-resilient.