The Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) officially began construction on November 30, 2022. Construction will continue throughout mid-2026, when CHPE becomes operational and begins delivering clean, renewable energy directly to New York City – aiding New York State’s green energy transition, improving air quality, and providing millions of dollars in new county and school tax revenue, all while preserving the State’s scenic landscapes and vistas. 

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.

CHPE Construction Updates

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.

Interactive Project Map*

 

*Data displayed in the map represents the most current information and was last updated 2/8/2024.

Inaugural Underground Cable Install The first cable run for the CHPE was successfully installed in December 2023.	Astoria Converter Station Progress The first structural steel was installed on November 30, 2023 at the CHPE Converter Station in Astoria, Queens.	Arrival of Marine Cable Reels The first 24 miles of submarine cable destined for installation in Lake Champlain arrive from Sweden at the Port of Albany in October 2023.
Astoria Converter Station Kick-Off New York State Governor Kathy Hochul joined CHPE leadership and key stakeholders to celebrate the commencement of construction of CHPE’s Converter Station in Astoria, Queens on September 19, 2023.	Construction Begins in Astoria Construction at CHPE’s Astoria Converter Station began in the summer of 2023, following extensive site remediation.	Cable Reels Arrive at Port of Albany CHPE cables are offloaded at the Port of Albany, New York in March 2023. These HVDC cables will be used to carry clean, renewable energy from Quebec directly into New York City.
Barges in Albany Custom-made barges designed to carry marine cable reels up the Hudson River were delivered in early 2023 and will be used for installation in Lake Champlain.	Cable Barge Carousel Assembly Carousels are assembled at New York laydown yards in January 2023.	CHPE Construction Begins New York State Governor Kathy Hochul joined CHPE leadership and key stakeholders at CHPE’s official groundbreaking ceremony in Whitehall, New York on November 30, 2022.

Terrestrial Cable Installation

CHPE’s underground cable installation, including pre-construction activities such as site preparation and the establishment of laydown yards for equipment, follows New York State approval of each construction segment’s Environmental Management & Construction Plan (EM&CP). The project’s EM&CPs, including specific route detail, are available here.

Construction of the terrestrial portion of CHPE commenced at the end of 2022 and will continue into 2026, with construction activities taking place in Washington, Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Greene, Rockland, and Queens counties.

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. This milestone was celebrated during Climate Week in September 2023 with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk, Premier of Québec Francois Legault, Grand Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke, and several other key stakeholders and local officials. See more detail here.

In November of 2023 the project hit a new milestone, as the first structural steel of the Converter Station was installed. The new state-of-the-art station is slated to be online in 2026.

Marine Installation

Preparation and water quality testing has been on-going for the marine sections of CHPE’s route, as the project moves closer to installing cables in Lake Champlain, the Hudson and Harlem Rivers. Beginning in the Spring of 2024, customized concrete mattresses will be laid in specific locations to protect CHPE cables and other submarine infrastructure.

The CHPE team will be hosting open houses in the Spring to further explain construction techniques and timelines. Please check this page frequently, as more information will be shared in the near future.

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 & comments via CHPE's Construction Comments and Questions Form