NYPA announces completion of Energy Highway Transmission Project

The New York Power Authority NYPA has completed a modification to an existing transmission line that will improve electricity reliability in the North Country and foster greater integration of local wind power for diversifying New YorkÂ’s energy sources.

The Moses-Willis Circuit Separation project fulfills a recommendation of the New York Energy Highway Blueprint—a major initiative of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to relieve transmission congestion and remove constraints on wind farms in Clinton and Franklin counties.

“The Power Authority has been diligent in its efforts to achieve the objectives of the Energy Highway Blueprint,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. “This project will bolster the North Country electric grid, improving reliability and resiliency for the region while also enhancing the efficiency of energy markets.”

NYPA, working in close coordination with the New York Independent System Operator NYISO, completed the separation of two 230-kilovolt power lines, which extend from the Power AuthorityÂ’s St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Hydroelectric Power Plant to a substation in the Town of Chateaugay. Previously, the lines, which had shared the same tower structures, were vulnerable to simultaneous failure in severe weather conditions. The separation of the lines will lower energy costs and allow local wind farms to operate with less restriction.

“This important North Country transmission project will save New Yorkers millions of dollars in reduced generation reliability costs and improve the performance of the state's wind generation resources,” said Rick Gonzales, NYISO senior vice president and chief operating officer.

The Energy Highway initiative, introduced in the GovernorÂ’s 2012 State of the State address, is a cornerstone of his energy policies to ensure that New York's power grid is the most advanced in the nation and promotes increased business investment in the state.