About Clean Path NY
This $11 billion clean infrastructure project comprised of more than 20 wind and solar generation projects–all located in New York State–and a new 175-mile, underground transmission line, will enable the delivery of more than 7.5 million megawatt-hours of emissions-free energy into New York City every year. The project will help ensure New York State meets its nation-leading climate goals while creating over 8,300 jobs, and saving New York State ratepayers millions each year in energy costs in its first 25 years of operation. Environmental justice is at the core of the Clean Path NY project and we believe the new green economy must benefit all New Yorkers. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and Forward Power–a joint venture between energyRe and Invenergy–are partners on the project.
Key Project Benefits
Environmental Justice and Health Benefits
- Clean Air: 20%-22% reduction annually in criteria pollutants such as NOx, SOx and particulate matter (PM2.5) from statewide electric generation.
- Billions of dollars in avoided social and public health costs due to emissions reductions over 25 years.
Economic Investment and Job Creation
- $3.5 billion in new transmission investment
- $7.5 billion in new clean energy generation
- 8,300+ new good-paying jobs created
- $270 million Community Investment Fund
Solving the “Tale of Two Grids”
New York State’s aging electric grid has been plagued by congestion for years, preventing renewable energy from reaching communities most reliant on fossil fuel energy sources. Clean Path NY will allow clean energy to serve those communities and more New Yorkers.
Responsible Routing
- Resilience: The Clean Path NY transmission line will be built entirely underground or underwater and mostly on existing rights-of-ways already used by transmission lines and roads. Placing transmission lines underground increases resilience in the event of extreme weather.
- Community Engagement: The project team is committed to working with communities and stakeholders at every stage of development to ensure that local voices are sought and heard, for the wellbeing of communities and the project’s surrounding ecosystem. The robust and comprehensive state planning process ensures that the transmission line will follow the most optimal route, considering potential community impact.
- Environmental Stewardship: The proposed transmission line has been designed to avoid and minimize impacts to the surrounding ecosystem by utilizing existing transmission line and road rights-of-way and by avoiding sensitive habitats within the Hudson River.
Maximizing Clean Energy Benefits for New York
Clean Path NY will maximize clean energy benefits for New York by using NYPA’s existing Blenheim-Gilboa Hydroelectric Pumped Storage Power Project in Schoharie County in conjunction with the 175-mile state-of-the-art transmission line and 3,800 megawatts of new in-state solar and wind power. Combining renewables, transmission, and energy storage will dramatically increase the delivery of reliable, cost-effective renewable energy to drive a significant reduction in the use of fossil fuel power plants.
