- The 339-mile CHPE transmission line is intended to provide hydroelectric power to 1 million New York City homes.
- Underground power lines run through waterways, which raises environmental concerns.
- This article is part of “Transforming Business: Infrastructure,” a series that explores the advances in rebuilding America's infrastructure.
Starting in 2026, 1,250 megawatts of electricity will be sped along 339 miles of underground cables, allowing Canadian-generated hydropower to power one million New York City homes.
The $6 billion Champlain-Hudson Power Express transmission line is under construction to help New York State meet its clean energy goals.
It's also part of a larger national effort to build more power lines to bring renewable energy to the country's aging power grid.
When CHPE (pronounced “chip-pee”) breaks ground in 2022, it will become one of New York's first Tier 4 projects, a state program that aims to source 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. It became one.
“We look forward to flipping the switch and bringing that clean energy to New York City,” said Donald Jessum, founder and former CEO of Transmission Developers, the company behind CHPE. told Business Insider. .
From nuclear power to natural gas to hydropower
Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant once provided about 25% of New York City's electricity needs. New York state shut down the plant in 2021, citing concerns about groundwater contamination and the plant's proximity to a city of more than 8 million people.
The state is making up for losses with three natural gas plants that came online between 2018 and 2020. Carbon emissions in the New York City region increased by about 20% between 2019 and 2022, according to EPA data.
These carbon-emitting plants are necessary because New York City is not well connected to upstate's abundant renewable resources, such as water and wind power. With so few transmission lines, about half of New York's electricity is generated by the city's 24 gas and fuel oil plants.
“Bottlenecks in the electric grid south of Albany limit the extent to which that generation can be used to meet demand in the New York City area,” said Ryan Calder, assistant professor of environmental health and policy at Virginia Tech. he says. he told Business Insider.
CHPE will bypass Albany, Poughkeepsie and other cities north of New York City. The line will leverage Hydro-Québec's existing electricity generation and send some of it to New York, avoiding bottlenecks in the province's north that can strain the grid during peak demand periods.
Bringing renewable energy to New York City
Much of the United States is struggling to connect renewable energy projects to the power grid. The Department of Energy says about 930 gigawatts of solar, wind, nuclear and other power sources are waiting to access the grid. That's more than three times the wind and solar power the United States will generate in 2022, and enough to power about 171 million homes.
Expansion of electricity transmission infrastructure is essential to connect new carbon-free energy sources.
Power lines are like highways for electronics, Calder said. Connect energy generation sources to demand areas.
“Many of Canada's renewable electricity sources, wind power and hydropower, are located far from dense urban areas,” he says.
New York state officials said in a statement that once the CHPE is operational, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 37 million tons.
Because hydropower does not emit CO2, methane, or nitrous oxide like fossil fuel power plants, a recent study by Calder and his co-authors estimates that the project could generate an additional $13.2 billion in social costs by 2050. estimated to be reduced. This includes the potential to prevent more than 300 premature deaths. .
Gas-fired power plants can worsen air quality and cause health problems such as asthma. Asthma rates for children in New York City, especially in poor neighborhoods, are among the highest in the country. Switching to cleaner energy sources can improve health outcomes for children and adults.
Buried cable from Canada to Queens
CHPE workers will bury high-voltage DC cables beneath Lake Champlain and the Hudson River, which flow from the Canadian border and Queens, New York.
Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity oppose the project and the route. They have raised concerns about the Atlantic sturgeon's habitat and history with Hydro-Québec and Canada's Indigenous communities.
Grist reported that the company's past projects flooded indigenous lands, creating methylmercury, a neurotoxin, in waterways in the process. Methylmercury accumulates in fish and can reach humans. Ingesting mercury can have serious health effects.
Some have expressed concern about CHPE's financial support from Blackstone, a private investment group that also invests in natural gas pipelines.
Jessum said TDI worked with the local community to address concerns about the construction.
Because CHPE construction does not include building new dams, Calder said the study did not factor in the effects of flooding. Other environmental issues, such as how the project would affect fish habitat, were outside the scope of the study.
New York state has six years to reach its goal of having 70 percent of its power grid powered by renewable energy. State authorities bank CHPE and provide some of its energy.
“We're going to be in that community for the next 60, 70, 80 years,” Jessum said. “This project is a long-term project, and the benefits will continue into the future.”
