Key Project Benefits
Environmental Justice and Health Benefits
- 20%-22% reduction annually in harmful air pollutants such as NOx, SOx and particulate matter (PM2.5) from statewide electric generation.
- 49 million tons of avoided CO2 emissions
- 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. Clean Path NY will utilize NYPA’s existing Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Plant to strengthen the reliability and resiliency of the project. 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.
- 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.