Construction has begun on the longest stretch of the Champlain Hudson Power Express – a 339-mile transmission line to bring clean hydroelectricity from Canada to New York.
Governor Kathy Hochul, several officials and lawmakers gathered for an indoor grand opening at Whitehall Castle on Wednesday morning to celebrate the start of construction in the North Country town. The longest stretch of the line runs 17.6 miles through Washington County.
The project is expected to create around 1,400 jobs in 15 unions in 22 disciplines.
“We are charting a whole new course for our state…by making these historic investments and how we are empowering our communities and creating opportunities for these high-paying jobs,” Governor Hochul said. “Why don’t we just carry on as we always have? Because oftentimes the status quo is the easiest path. … We need to take bold steps today to right the wrongs of the past.”
CHPE is expected to provide 1,250 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power 1 million New York homes, or about 20% of the city’s electricity needs.
Power cable lines will be installed underground and underwater at an estimated cost of $2.2 billion. The transmission line is expected to begin full operation in the spring of 2026. It is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons in its first 10 years.
That’s equivalent to removing about 500,000 cars from New York’s roads, Hochul said, adding that it would significantly reduce the state’s carbon footprint.
The project will be developed by Transmission Developers Inc. Hydro-Quebec will share ownership of the transmission line in the province of Quebec with the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, an Aboriginal community south of Montreal.
“To fight climate change, to shift our economies to cleaner energy, we need to work together as a region,” said Pierre Despars, Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Development at Hydro-Québec.
Completing CHPE on time is integral to supplying the state’s electric grid for years to come as other fossil fuel systems retire, according to a report from the independent operator. New York State.
It comes as New York strives to meet the lofty climate goals enshrined in the Climate Act, which requires a transition to 70% renewable energy by 2030 and a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. tight.
Also in attendance were State Department Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos and State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon.
The CHPE project includes a $40 million Green Economy Fund to help residents of low-income and minority communities provide job training opportunities and the $117 million Environmental Trust Fund to improve the health of Lake Champlain and the Hudson and Harlem rivers.
“Internet evangelist. Extreme communicator. Subtly charming alcohol aficionado. Typical tv geek.”