New York Governor Ho Chu held a press conference on Tuesday, June 16th, to officially announce the completion and operation of the largest power transmission infrastructure project in nearly half a century in New York State – the “Champlain Hudson Power Express” (CHPE).
The power transmission line, which cost up to $6 billion, spans a total length of 339 miles (approximately 546 kilometers) and is currently the longest completely buried (including underground and underwater) high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable in North America. The project, which officially began at the end of 2022, has been completed ahead of schedule and successfully brings eco-friendly hydroelectric power from Hydro-Québec in Quebec, Canada, across borders, continuously supplying energy to the energy center in Astoria, Queens, New York City.
Official data shows that after the CHPE project is operational, it is expected to deliver up to 10.4 terawatt-hours (TWh) of clean zero-carbon electricity to the New York metropolitan area annually. This stable green energy will directly meet up to 20% of New York City’s electricity needs, enough to provide daily power for one million households in the city.
New York State officials point out that the timely operation of this project is a “game-changer” that benefits both livelihoods and the environment. In practical terms, it not only fills the energy gap left by the closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant but also significantly reduces the electricity grid load during peak summer periods in New York City, ensuring the long-term stability of the city’s power supply system. Additionally, from an environmental perspective, the project is expected to reduce approximately 37 million metric tons of carbon emissions for New York by 2040.
According to a 25-year contract signed between the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the developers, the project is expected to bring over $3.4 billion in economic benefits to New York State during the contract period. Governor Ho Chu stated at the press conference that with the full completion of the CHPE transmission line, New York City has taken a milestone step towards breaking away from reliance on expensive gas power generation and constructing a future of clean energy.