Construction Progress
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Construction Overview
Construction of the Champlain Hudson Power Express® (CHPE) officially began on November 30, 2022, and will continue through mid-2026, when CHPE becomes operational and begins delivering clean, renewable energy directly to New York City.
The project involves close collaboration and coordination with Hydro Quebec (HQ), which is building an approximately 58km (~36mile) underwater and underground transmission line from the Hertel substation in La Prairie, Quebec to an interconnection point with CHPE in the Rivière Richelieu, at the Canada–New York border. More information on the Hertel-New York interconnection line is available on Hydro Quebec’s website here.
Construction Technology
The CHPE project uses time-tested high-voltage direct current (HVDC) energy transmission cable technology that transmits power over long distances more efficiently than alternating current (AC) transmission. CHPE HVDC cables will be installed for ~339miles underground and underwater from Lake Champlain at the U.S-Canada border to a Converter Station in Astoria, Queens, where the HVDC power will be converted to AC power so it can be injected into New York City's energy grid for local distribution.
Overall Construction Progress
As of April 2025, construction of CHPE is on schedule for an in-service date of May 2026. Broken down, the project has completed:
- Over 83 miles of trenching (81% complete)
- Over 66 miles of horizonal directional drilling bores (85% complete)
- 236 wire pulls (42% complete)
- Over 124 miles of cable laid in New York State waterways
- Over 66% of the construction of a new converter station in Queens
Interactive Project Map*
*Data displayed in the map represents the most current information and was last updated 5/8/2025.
Harlem River Barge Assembled Harlem River cable barge to be used for spring-summer 2025 installation campaign. | Cable Pulling HVDC cables are pulled into a splice vault located under a roadway in the Spring of 2025. | Transformer Installation The first two transformers have been assembled and installed at the CHPE converter station in Astoria, Queens. |
Cable Splicing on Land HVDC cables successfully spliced together in a vault under a public roadway in Washington County N.Y. | Cable Pull In CHPE cables were pulled from water to land in December 2024, connecting the project from Stony Point in Rockland County to Cementon in Greene County. | Successful Dig Lay Backfill 70 miles of dig lay backfill work is now complete, which includes excavating trench and installing conduit for CHPE cables and a fiber optic monitoring line. |
Randall’s Island Vault Installation The transition vault was successfully installed on Randall’s Island in September of 2024. | First Manhole Complete in Queens The first manhole was completed in October 2024 on the Astoria-Rainey Cable in Queens which will reinforce the HVAC power grid in NYC. | Cable Splicing on the Hudson HVDC cables successfully spliced on board the Ariadne are installed in the Hudson River in the Fall of 2024. |
Terrestrial Cable Installation
CHPE’s underground cable installation work is progressing on schedule. This work includes clearing trees and growth, digging the trench and installing the conduit (dig, lay, backfill) that will house CHPE’s cables, performing horizontal directional drilling (HDD) used to go under large obstacles and avoid environmentally sensitive areas, and pulling and splicing cables together.
As of April 2025, 83 miles of trenching has been completed (representing 81%) and there are more than 30 crews performing dig, lay, backfill operations across the entire project. More than 85% of the project’s HDD pilot holes have been drilled and more than 42% of the cable has been pulled and is in place. All of the work performed has been approved by New York State and detailed plans for each construction segment along CHPE's route, known as Environmental Management & Construction Plans (EM&CPs) are available here.
Rockland County Construction
To avoid an environmentally sensitive area in the Hudson River, CHPE exits the Hudson River and is being buried underground in Rockland County. Construction started in July 2024 and as of April 2025, 4 of 6 HDDs are complete and 29% of dig lay backfill work is complete. The majority of the dig lay backfill work along Route 9W in Rockland is being performed at night.
CHPE hosts an office in Rockland County dedicated to community engagement and outreach, located at 1 Railroad Square, Haverstraw, NY 10927. The office is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday – Friday and anyone who has questions or who is interested in learning more about the project is encouraged to visit.
Those interested in receiving an electronic newsletter containing Rockland County specific construction updates can sign up here.
New York Metro Construction
Astoria Converter Station
Construction of CHPE’s converter station in Astoria, Queens began in the summer of 2023, following extensive site remediation - marking the first ever conversion of a fossil-fuel site into a grid-scale zero-emissions facility in New York City.
As of April 2025, converter station progress remains on schedule with more than 66% of the project complete. Nearly all of the necessary components have been manufactured, and installation of high voltage equipment is underway. The new state-of-the-art station is slated to be online in 2026.
The Astoria-Rainey Cable
To properly disburse the power from CHPE into New York City’s power grid, a 3.5-mile buried HVAC cable is being constructed in Astoria, Queens that is known as the Astoria-Rainey Cable (ARC). As of April 2025, 45% of necessary excavation and shoring is finished. Major construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Marine Installation
In August of 2024, installation of CHPE's marine cables in Lake Champlain and the Hudson River began. This installation work followed a Spring 2024 campaign that installed concrete mattresses in specific locations in Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to protect the cables and other submarine infrastructure.
As of April 2025, more than 124 total miles of cable has been laid in waterways used by the project, approximately half is installed in Lake Champlain and the other half is installed in the Upper Hudson. Additional cable installation in Lake Champlain, the Lower Hudson and the Harlem River will commence in the Spring of 2025. For more information on how cable is installed in the river, please see this webinar.
Want Further Technical Information?
Click here for more information on approved EM&CP filings and specific details for each portion of CHPE’s route.
Got Construction Questions?
Call: 1-800-991-CHPE (2473)
Email: publicoutreach@chpexpress.com
Send comments & questions via CHPE's Construction Comments and Questions Form
Page Last Updated: February 2025