Schodack to Pleasant Valley Upgrade Project
On July 17, 2018, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) selected LS Power Grid New York, LLC (formerly known as North America Transmission, LLC) as the developer to upgrade two overhead electric transmission line segments. These upgrades relieve congestion on the New York power grid, support renewable energy, replace aging infrastructure to improve reliability, and provide many other benefits to businesses and residents across New York State.
Along the Hudson Valley, the existing 115 kV transmission towers (in some areas one set of towers, and in other areas, two sets) between Schodack and Pleasant Valley will generally be replaced with just one set of monopoles of similar height and location. LS Power’s proposed lines use existing rights-of-way to minimize the impact on residents and communities, with a focus on limiting structure heights to reduce visual impacts.
LS Power’s upgrades will:
- Support renewable energy resources which can reduce emissions by 9.4 million tons of carbon dioxide – today’s congested lines limit the amount of renewable energy that can be carried throughout the State
- Create local jobs – LS Power plans to hire as many New York State-based workers as possible to complete this project
- Improve electric grid reliability and resiliency by rebuilding aging infrastructure, which is more than 80 years old in some cases
- Reduce transmission system congestion, allowing the lowest cost, most efficient, and environmentally-friendly generation to more consistently meet electrical demand – estimated to yield a production cost savings of more than $1.1 billion
The proposed route is within the existing electric transmission rights of way in parts of the following counties and towns:
Rensselaer County
- Schodack
Columbia County
- Stuyvesant
- Stockport
- Ghent
- Claverack
- Livingston
- Gallatin
- Clermont
Dutchess County
- Milan
- Clinton
- Pleasant Valley