HVDC Cables for Champlain Hudson Power Express Arrive in Albany
Construction for hydropower transmission line underway; power delivery expected to begin in 2026
Subterrestrial and submarine cables will stretch 339 miles and carry 1,250 MW of clean energy from Québec to Queens
Albany, New York – March 30, 2023 – Today, 35 reels of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable that will be part of the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) project were offloaded at the Port of Albany, after traveling 3,829 miles from Karlskrona, Sweden. These cable reels will be transported by individual trucks to Fort Edward, NY for inspection and staging prior to installation.
This is the first shipment of over 500 cables needed to complete the land-based portion of the 339-mile CHPE route. In addition to the approximately 140 miles of underground cable, the project will also utilize approximately 190 miles of submarine cable that will be buried in waterways. The fully buried cables will carry hydropower from Québec to Astoria, Queens – providing 1,250 megawatts of clean energy capable of powering over one million New York homes. This union labor project will create 1,400 good-paying construction jobs and reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of taking over half a million cars off the road every year. Once complete, CHPE will be the largest fully buried transmission line in the United States.
The CHPE project was intentionally designed using buried HVDC cables to avoid disruption to communities along its path while also modernizing the state’s transmission system and strengthening the grid’s resiliency and reliability. Buried HVDC cables have a proven history and have been used for more than 70 years around the globe.
“Seeing these cables arrive in New York is a monumental moment for CHPE. It’s an example of the breadth of this construction project and what will go into burying more than 300 miles of cable the entire length of New York State,” said Transmission Developers CEO Justin Sauber. “The arrival of these HVDC cables is an exciting moment in our construction process. After over a decade of planning, this brings us one step closer to a cleaner, greener New York. I look forward to our continued partnership with the State as we work together to bring this transformative project online.”
“Once completed, the Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission project will dramatically strengthen our ability to power New York City with clean, reliable energy for decades to come,” NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said. “The delivery of these HDVC cables is a major step in developing this massive infrastructure project and NYSERDA looks forward to seeing the in-state investment, good-paying union jobs, and local economic development that will be realized throughout the construction process.”
Construction of CHPE is underway following a groundbreaking in Whitehall, NY in November 2022 with energy delivery expected in 2026.
About the Champlain Hudson Power Express
CHPE involves the construction of 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.
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