100-Mile Smart Path Connect Transmission Project in New York State Completed and Energized

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the 100-mile Smart Path Connect transmission project has been completed and energized.

The transmission line is now operational in the North Country and Mohawk Valley regions, aiming to facilitate the flow of renewable energy and enhance the reliability of New York State’s power infrastructure.

Developed by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in partnership with National Grid, the project’s primary goal is to alleviate transmission congestion and provide interconnection conditions for new and existing renewable energy projects. It is described as part of the largest investment in New York State’s power grid in half a century.

Hochul stated that the completion of the Smart Path Connect project will save communities and businesses across New York hundreds of millions of dollars annually. She noted that by modernizing key energy infrastructure, the efficiency of clean power delivery is improved, while bottlenecks that drive up energy costs are eliminated. The upgraded transmission corridor not only unlocks renewable energy potential but also enhances overall grid reliability.

The project is expected to unlock 1 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity in upstate New York, including power from the St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project in Massena. Work includes upgrading approximately 100 miles of transmission lines, constructing four new substations, and upgrading ten existing substations across Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Lewis, and Oneida counties.

The New York Power Authority was responsible for the construction and energization of three digital substations in Massena, Chateaugay, and Croghan, upgraded six existing substations, and built a 45-mile transmission line connecting Clinton and Massena. NYPA President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll stated that through this project, the authority is modernizing energy infrastructure under Governor Hochul’s leadership to ensure stable power supply and reduce energy costs for New Yorkers.

National Grid was responsible for the southern section of the project, which extends 55 miles from Croghan to Marcy, and includes the construction of a new substation in Glenfield. The two segments of the Smart Path Connect project are connected by the 78-mile Smart Path transmission upgrade completed by NYPA in mid-2023, forming an uninterrupted nearly 200-mile 345-kilovolt transmission line between Clinton and Oneida counties.

This work complements other major transmission initiatives in New York State, including the Champlain Hudson Power Express, Propel NY Energy, and National Grid’s Upstate Upgrade portfolio.