Hudson transmission project goes online ahead of schedule

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut -- - PowerBridge, LLC has announced that its affiliate, Hudson Transmission Partners, LLC, has completed testing of its underground and underwater, 660 Mw electric transmission project between Ridgefield, New Jersey and Manhattan, and has begun delivering power to customers in New York City.

The Hudson transmission project route has a total length of about 7.5 miles, with a cable bundle buried under the Hudson River for about 3.5 miles and buried underground for approximately four miles, starting in Ridgefield, New Jersey. The line connects to the Con Edison system at the West 49th Street substation in the heart of Manhattan and is capable of providing about five percent of New York City's peak demand. The project began construction in May 2011 at a cost of approximately $850 million and was completed six weeks ahead of schedule, despite the two hurricanes that hit the area during the construction period.

The Hudson project is the second major underwater transmission project completed by PowerBridge www.powerbridge.us, following the 660 Mw Neptune undersea transmission project, completed in June of 2007, which extends 65 miles between New Jersey and Long Island. Neptune has supplied approximately 20 percent of Long Island's electricity needs since going into service. The Hudson and Neptune projects provide access to power from the PJM energy grid, one of the largest and most diverse power markets in the United States.

"Like Neptune, the Hudson project shows how this type of technology can bring reliable electric power to densely populated areas in a cost-effective, non-controversial, and environmentally friendly way," said Edward M. Stern , President and Chief Executive Officer of PowerBridge. "It is also a great example of public and private interests working successfully in partnership to expand and modernize the nation's electric system."

"In completing this complex project well ahead of schedule and therefore in time for the summer peak load period, we want to thank many different parties that helped achieve this result, especially Governor Andrew Cuomo and his staff, as well as Senator Chuck Schumer and numerous federal, state, and city agencies such as the New York State Departments of Public Service, Transportation, and Environmental Conservation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New York District Army Corps of Engineers, the City of New York, and the Borough of Ridgefield, New Jersey."

"In addition, we particularly want to acknowledge the extraordinary teamwork and cooperation of our customer the New York Power Authority, our principal contractors Siemens and Prysmian, Con Edison, the regional transmission organizations PJM and NYISO, New Jersey utilities PSE&G and First Energy, our investors and lenders, and the many talented workers who helped design, build, and install the project."

Using HVDC High Voltage Direct Current technology, the electricity drawn from the PJM grid is converted from AC to DC power, and then back to AC power, at a newly-built converter station in Ridgefield, NJ, for the purpose of maximizing reliability and controllability in delivering power to Manhattan.