Governor Hochul Celebrates Completion of 100-Mile Smart Path Connect Transmission Project, Delivering More Than $438 Million in Annual Savings for New Yorkers

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion and energization of Smart Path Connect, a transformative 100-mile transmission project that will provide approximately $438 million in annual benefits to New Yorkers, including monthly savings on electric bills for households and businesses. The modernized energy pathway is the latest project to be completed as part of the largest investment in New York's electric grid in 50 years. Now in service in the North Country and Mohawk Valley, Smart Path Connect enables the flow of more renewable energy across New York State, enhances the reliability and resiliency of the state power grid, and reduces costly transmission congestion. The project advances Governor Hochul's commitment to a reliable, affordable and clean energy future for New York by unlocking 1 GW of renewable energy in Upstate New York.

"Smart Path Connect's completion delivers hundreds of millions of dollars in annual savings and measurable benefits to communities and businesses across New York," Governor Hochul said. "By modernizing this essential energy infrastructure, we are moving clean power more efficiently and eliminating bottlenecks that have driven up energy costs. The upgraded corridor not only unlocks renewable energy, it also strengthens grid reliability and secures a thriving economic future for all New Yorkers."

Developed collaboratively by New York Power Authority (NYPA) and National Grid, the project unbottles existing and new renewable resources along its path, including clean, low-cost hydropower from the St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project in Massena. The effort involved construction in two separate transmission corridors, the upgrade of approximately 100 miles of transmission lines, and the construction of four new substations as well as upgrades to 10 existing substations. The project spans Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Lewis and Oneida counties.

New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, "Through the Smart Path Connect transmission project, under Governor Hochul's leadership, we are modernizing energy infrastructure to help ensure the lights stay on and that we are lowering energy costs for New Yorkers. Congratulations to our team at the Power Authority, National Grid and union laborers that worked through Upstate New York winters, a global pandemic, and several technical challenges to deliver this project on time, resulting in a power grid built to withstand extreme weather events and increasing energy demands."

Public Service Commission Chair and CEO Rory M. Christian said, "Additional infrastructure to improve the mobility of both existing and new megawatts of clean electricity across the statewide grid is key to ensuring energy costs for all New Yorkers trend in a more affordable direction, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Projects capable of transporting volume as significant as Smart Path Connect represent a meaningful dent in the additional transmission capacity needed throughout the state to uphold the principle of operating the energy system at the lowest possible cost, without sacrificing opportunities for economic growth. Governor Hochul's support for this project and similar projects exemplifies her strategic understanding of the complex factors which underpin long-term energy affordability and reliability for New York."

National Grid New York President Sally Librera said, "We're proud to partner with NYPA on Smart Path Connect and deliver critical infrastructure that powers New York's economy and energy future. As demand for energy grows, this project delivers renewable power directly to the businesses and communities that need it most. Smart Path Connect strengthens the grid, unlocks clean power, and drives growth across New York."

The Power Authority built and energized three new substations, made significant modifications to six existing substations, and completed 45 miles of new transmission lines between Clinton and Massena in the North Country. NYPA's new digital substations include Haverstock in Massena, Willis Annex in Chateaugay, and Adirondack in Croghan. National Grid completed construction of the project's southern alignment, a 55-mile segment between the towns of Croghan and Marcy, including constructing a new substation, Austin Road, in the Lewis County town of Glenfield.

The two Smart Path Connect segments are linked by NYPA's 78-mile Smart Path transmission project - the mid-2023 reconstruction of the Moses to Adirondack transmission lines - forming nearly 200 uninterrupted miles of upgraded 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission between Clinton and Oneida counties. 345 kV cables have the capacity to efficiently move massive amounts of extra high-voltage power across long distances. Like Smart Path, Smart Path Connect was primarily built within existing transmission rights-of-way.

New York Independent System Operator President and CEO Rich Dewey said, "New York's electric system must evolve quickly alongside growing demand and expanded transmission infrastructure is essential to maintaining reliability and delivering new, cleaner energy resources across the state. Smart Path Connect will help relieve congestion, improve the deliverability of clean energy, and ensure power can flow efficiently from where it's generated to where it's needed most. Strengthening the transmission system is critical to supporting a reliable, resilient grid while advancing New York's clean energy transition, and NYPA and National Grid have stepped up to design, build, and invest in the resources we need."

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2032 Business Manager Bill Brown Jr. said, "The members of IBEW Local 2032 have been fundamental to NYPA's success across both transmission and generation for many years. Each and every day our members bring unmatched skill, dedication, and professionalism to the job. As New York looks to expand renewable generation, the IBEW stands ready to build, operate and maintain a system that is indispensable to New York State's electric grid for generations to come."

State Senator Kevin Parker said, "Smart Path Connect demonstrates what is possible when New York invests boldly in its future. As Chair of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, I have long advocated for an energy system that is reliable, affordable, and sustainable. This project delivers on all three fronts. It strengthens our grid, unlocks clean energy resources, creates good-paying union jobs, and provides meaningful savings for ratepayers. New Yorkers deserve an energy system that works for them today while preparing us for tomorrow, and Smart Path Connect is a shining example of that vision becoming reality."

In addition to Smart Path and Smart Path Connect, several other large transmission projects have recently gone into service or are awaiting final permits. The Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission project, developed by Transmission Developers Inc., began commercial operation at the beginning of this month. Propel NY Energy, a collaboration between NYPA and New York Transco to strengthen transmission pathways in Westchester, the Bronx and Queens, and Long Island, is advancing its permitting milestones. National Grid's Upstate Upgrade, a portfolio of more than 70 transmission-related projects to be completed by 2030, is underway in areas across Upstate New York to deliver a smarter, stronger, more reliable energy grid for the future of New York. New York's recent major transmission investments total hundreds of miles of new and upgraded transmission lines that are bolstering the state's energy transition.

For more information about the Smart Path Connect project, visit the Power Authority's Smart Path Connect website. Visit NYPA Transmission for more information about NYPA's transmission portfolio, interconnection projects and NYPA's operation and maintenance of one-third of the state's high-voltage transmission system. For more information about National Grid transmission projects, visit the company's Upstate Upgrade Project Hub.