Two major transmission projects were recently completed in New York: the Smart Path Connect Project, an 100-mile transmission line across the Mohawk Valley and the North Country designed to ease the flow of renewable energy across the state, and the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE), which is bringing clean hydropower energy from Canada directly to New York City.
Transmission lines are essentially high capacity highways for electricity. By providing both energy delivery and grid modernization, projects like CHPE and Smart Path Connect are essential for transporting clean energy from remote generation sites to highly populated areas.
According to NYISO, energy demand in New York State is projected to increase 50-90% in the next 20 years. In order to meet rising demand we not only need to build new renewable energy capacity, we must also ensure our transmission system can keep up.
“New Yorkers are demanding that the state address rising utility bills and the only long-term solution to that problem is getting more clean energy onto the grid, and that is exactly what Smart Path and CHPE will do,” said NYLCV President Julie Tighe. “Projects like these are critical to getting off the expensive roller coaster ride of fossil fuels and providing the stable and affordable clean energy future New Yorkers deserve.”
The Smart Path Connect Project, which began operation on June 22, was developed through a collaboration between New York Power Authority (NYPA) and National Grid, and is projected to unlock 1GW of renewable energy capacity upstate, including hydropower generated at the St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project in Massena, according to an announcement from Governor Hochul.
“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.”
The CHPE project, completed on June 16, 2026, marks a significant milestone for clean energy in New York State. Starting by capturing hydropower in Quebec, the project then uses liquid-free and gel-free High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology to carry clean energy underneath the Hudson River. When that power reaches the Astoria Energy Complex in Queens, the current is converted from Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) in order to match the city’s frequency. In doing so, CHPE meets up to 20% of the city’s electricity needs and cuts down 37 million tons of carbon emissions in New York City through 2040.
CHPE will pump more than $3.4 billion in economic investments into the region over the 25-year term of the contract with Transmission Developers, Inc., serving as a reminder that clean energy is not only good for the environment and public health, it’s good for the economy, too.
“To support the rapid growth of renewable energy generation in the State, New York is developing a plan for upgrading our electricity grid with technologies that increase the capacity and effectiveness of our transmission system,” according to NYSERDA’s website. “Authorizing and building new transmission capacity will prepare the way for new renewable energy sources, including a growing supply of offshore wind, and bring clean power to areas of the state with the greatest need.”
Another major transmission project currently under construction is Propel NY Energy. This project, led by NYPA and Transco, will upgrade transmission lines, adding six new 345 kV lines, along with a new 138kV line across Long Island, New York City, and parts of Westchester County. Aiming to be operational by 2030, Propel will increase reliability and resiliency for an electricity grid that desperately needs it.
When offshore wind projects like Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind generate clean energy, they also rely on transmission lines to transport power to populated areas. Empire Wind, located off the coast of Long Island, will use two 230kV High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) submarine export cables to transport energy straight to Brooklyn, while Sunrise Wind, located East of Montauk, Long Island, will use HVDC technology in their transmission lines similar to the CHPE project.
Beyond these projects, NYPA, National Grid, NYSEG, Con Edison, Central Hudson, and other utilities are rebuilding hundreds of miles of transmission and substations. While many of these projects are technology-agnostic, they are critical to integrating wind power and connecting new solar farms and battery storage to the grid, as well as improving reliability as electricity demand grows.
Failure to build enough transmission will prevent the delivery of additional renewable energy resources, while constraints are already forcing curtailment in some upstate regions.
Addressing Permitting Challenges
Completing any major transmission project depends on permitting systems that can keep pace. Clean energy development has historically been slowed by a fragmented permitting process that treated large renewable energy projects and major transmission lines separately, creating unnecessary delays and uncertainty.
In the US, it takes 10 years on average to get a new power line from conception to operation. In New York, it can take two to three years just to issue state permits for new transmission lines.
As New York works to electrify buildings, transportation, and industry, expanding transmission capacity is just as important as building new sources of clean power. The RAPID Act, an NYLCV Scorecard Bill that was enacted in 2024, aims to address this by creating a unified permitting framework for both renewable generation and major transmission projects.
Earlier this year, the Public Service Commission approved the final regulations implementing the RAPID Act, meaning the new permitting system is now fully in effect. The updated process is designed to streamline reviews, improve coordination among state agencies, encourage earlier engagement with communities, and provide predictable timelines for projects while maintaining strong environmental protections and opportunities for public input.
That matters – because the next generation of grid upgrades will all depend on a permitting process capable of keeping pace with New York’s clean energy ambitions.
Simply put, if we’re serious about delivering affordable, reliable clean energy, we have to build the grid that makes it possible.
“Decarbonizing the state’s grid will require building more than renewable energy generation alone,” said NYLCV President Julie Tighe. “Wind, solar, and storage must go hand-in-hand with the poles and wires that deliver those clean resources to our homes and businesses – because there is no clean energy transition without transmission.”
Liam McGowan has been a Communications Fellow at the New York League of Conservation Voters since November 2025, and intern since September 2025. He graduated from the University of Vermont in May 2025 with a B.S. in Environmental Science. During his time at UVM he assisted with projects in the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory. To learn more about Liam, visit his LinkedIn page located here.