US DoE plans presidential permit for Champlain Hudson transmission

Transmission Developers Inc., a Blackstone portfolio company, has announced that the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a Presidential Permit for the Champlain Hudson Power Express a 1,000MW buried transmission line that will connect New York City and Quebec.

A Presidential Permit is required for the construction, operation, maintenance and connection of electric transmission facilities at the international borders of the United States.

The Champlain Hudson Power Express is a completely buried, 333-mile HVDC transmission line that will be installed underground and underwater, originating at the U.S.-Canada border and running the length of Lake Champlain and through parts of the Hudson River to New York City.

In development since 2008, the US$2.2 billion project will bring 1,000 MW of clean, reliable energy to meet growing needs and is at the forefront of America’s emerging “smart grid” revolution. The project is projected to reduce energy costs for consumers and businesses by US$650 million a year once complete.

The project will also diversify the state’s energy portfolio, and increase the electric grid’s safety and security by creating new, hardened infrastructure that is less susceptible to damage from natural disasters. The construction period is estimated at about four years.

In August, the DOE issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project that reflected review and input from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Coast Guard, and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the N.Y.S. Departments of Environmental Conservation and Public Service. DOE also consulted with the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Champlain Hudson Power Express now awaits permits from the Army Corps of Engineers, which are expected soon. Current plans call for construction to begin in early 2015, with an in-service date of late 2018.