Electricity goes underwater
Underwater electric could be the future for southern New York and southwest Connecticut. Our Erin Vannella has the details.
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ALBANY, N.Y. -- An underwater electrical cable is the latest power source being proposed to the State of New York by Transmission Developers Incorporated out of Toronto.
"This project, we think, addresses a lot of the concerns people have about the transmission of power," said Donald Jessome, President and CEO of TDI.
Jessome leads the effort behind the Champlain Hudson Power Express Project that went public last week. Its goal is to help New York meet its growing energy demands.
The plan involves a high voltage direct-current cable that would run under the Richelieu River, Lake Champlain, and the Hudson River before reaching the New York metro area and southwest Connecticut where it would deliver 2,000 megawatts of power.
"Being a cable project, it's buried and out of sight," said Jessome. "You don't see it. It's going right into the highly congested markets and connecting to renewable power."
The cable that would run a 355-mile course is less than six inches in diameter and wouldn't emit an electrical charge and it's been used before. Two identical cables already transfer power to Long Island, but this plan is controversial.
"There's already significant renewable energy and jobs in New York," said Gavin Donohue of the Independent Power Producers of New York. "That should be given precedence over Canadian power."
Environmentalists have weighed in on the plan too, and Jessome said he's listening.
"We've actually asked them to assist us in that process," said Jessome, "so that any concerns they have we can identify up front before we even go into the regulatory process."
The estimated $3.8 billion project would be paid for by a mix of private and federal funds, said Jessome, but it has to meet extensive federal and state permit requirements first. If the state approves the project, Jessome said the new line could help lower electric rates for consumers along the length of the state.
We reached out to members of the NYSDEC but our calls were not returned. If you would like more information about the project, log on to www.CHPExpress.com .