THE CHAMPLAIN HUDSON POWER EXPRESS ANNOUNCES HUDSON RIVER TESTING RESULTS
Comprehensive testing demonstrates and confirms CHPE installation process will not impact safety and drinkability of local water supplies
Voluntary Hudson River installation trial conducted in line with stringent protocols developed in collaboration with the drinking water group Hudson 7, also meeting all requirements of the project’s New York State environmental permits and State Water Quality Standards
New York – May 3, 2023 – The Champlain Hudson Power Express project (CHPE) announced water quality test results that demonstrate the Hudson River installation of the project’s high-voltage
direct-current (HVDC) clean energy transmission cables will not have an impact on the safety or drinkability of local water supplies.
The water quality tests were completed in accordance with protocols mutually developed with the drinking water protection group the Hudson River Drinking Water Intermunicipal Council (Hudson 7) and the CHPE team constructing the project.
“We are grateful to the Hudson 7 for their collaboration and commitment to ensuring that the health of public drinking water is maintained. With their collaboration and extensive input, we have demonstrated that we can safely install this clean energy infrastructure in a way that does not impact local water supplies,” said Transmission Developers SVP Marine Will Davie. “We will continue to work closely with public water system operators and the Hudson 7 as we move forward.”
The trial included a process that replicated a Hudson River water intake valve under conditions similar to what will take place during CHPE’s installation. Values for turbidity, pH, and contaminants of concern were measured during the trial. In all cases, the trial demonstrated that any disturbance of sediments near the test intake was brief and temporary, with values remaining below the threshold levels that were established at the recommendation of Hudson 7, and in compliance with applicable State Water Quality Standards. Values returned to the pre-testing background levels within two hours of completion of the trial, which demonstrates that any disturbance will be brief and temporary. This is notable because the installation is anticipated to move past intake valves quickly, demonstrating the effectiveness of potential mitigations such as temporarily shutting down intake valves for brief periods of time during installation. Further, the test intake was placed within a conservative 160 feet of simulated cable installation work; the actual CHPE installation work will occur further away from existing Hudson River intakes, meaning that any actual disturbance to existing intakes will be less than what was measured during testing.
The Hudson 7 was provided with the survey results, and had the opportunity to independently review and verify the conclusions. The report and associated analysis are available to the public and can be found HERE.
The surveying, which took place on September 9, 2022 near the Hudson River’s Chelsea marina, was performed by nationally recognized environmental consulting specialists from Normandeau Associates and Aqua Survey who were on board a barge with a simulated water intake as well as on smaller vessels performing the testing. The testing combined the already rigorous pre-construction requirements outlined in the project’s New York State environmental permit, with an extensive additional layer of testing as requested by the Hudson 7 and agreed to by the CHPE project. In addition to the testing and barge operation teams, Hudson 7 water operators were present on board the testing barge observing the process.
About the Champlain Hudson Power Express
CHPE is an underground and underwater transmission line spanning approximately 339 miles between the Canada–U.S. border and New York City.
CHPE will also provide competitively priced hydropower from Québec that is expected to lower climate emissions and local air pollutants, as well as electricity generation costs throughout the state by $17 billion over the first 25 years of operation, all the while providing increased reliability and resiliency for the downstate grid. The project also provides a total of $3.5 billion in economic benefits to New Yorkers and creates approximately 1,400 family-sustaining jobs during construction, with a commitment to use union labor. CHPE will provide an economic boost to 73 municipalities and 59 school districts throughout New York State with an increase in incremental tax revenue of $1.4 billion in funding for local communities over the first 25 years of the project. CHPE will provide an economic boost to 73 municipalities and 59 school districts throughout New York State with an increase in incremental tax revenue of $1.4 billion in funding for local communities over the first 25 years of the project. The project has also established a $117M Environmental Trust Fund to protect our natural habitats.