O&R Proposes $52.6M Electric Transmission Project In Clarkstown

CLARKSTOWN, NY — Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. wants to undertake a $52.6-million, two-year construction project installing 5.5 miles of new electric transmission cable underground in the southwest section of Clarkstown.

The electric system project will improve electric service reliability and system resiliency for about 45,000 O&R customers, O&R officials said.

The announcement came Thursday when O&R filed for regulatory review of the proposed project by the New York State Public Service Commission.

The Project

If O&R’s project is certified by the NYSPSC, the new 138kV underground transmission line would be installed mainly within secondary public roadways to connect a substation in Nanuet with one in West Nyack.

The new transmission line would provide an additional source of electricity for southern Rockland County, where increasing business development is creating additional electric system demand, officials said.

In addition, the new transmission line’s connection to a new transformer bank in West Nyack would improve electric service reliability, resiliency and capacity for a large number of Clarkstown and Orangetown customers.

“This project will provide added protection and an added electric supply source for a key part of the O&R transmission system," O&R President and CEO Robert Sanchez said. "That means we are making the electric system more resilient and the electric service to customers more reliable.”

The Route

The proposed route goes from west to east from O&R’s substation access road in Nanuet, winding through mainly area secondary streets into the substation property in West Nyack.

This route would not require property easements over private lands other than from CSX railway. The project would be installed in the roadways within the public transportation rights-of-way, which would be a cost benefit to the proposed project.

No construction would occur within wetlands or forested lands. As a result, impacts to wetlands, wildlife, existing land use and cultural resources are not anticipated. Only temporary and minor impacts during construction are anticipated for streams and wildlife.

The Process

Under NYSPSC rules, an extensive public review process — under Article VII of the New York State Public Service Law — will be scheduled to examine the project application. This process typically takes from 12 to 18 months to complete.

The NYSPSC makes the final decision regarding all Article VII applications after careful review and with public input. For a complete description of the application review process, please refer to the Commission’s Article VII Review Process Guide.

O&R is working with Clarkstown town government and its police department on the project and plans a collaborative effort to minimize construction disruption along the community’s roadways. However, motorists traveling on the roadways along the project’s route should expect periodic delays once the project begins.

O&R provides electric service to approximately 300,000 customers in southeastern New York State (where its franchise name is Orange & Rockland) and northern New Jersey (where it’s Rockland Electric Company), and natural gas service to approximately 125,000 customers in New York.