Energy News Beat Publishers Note: It is good to see energy infrastructure prices being approved. But watching what the New York price of kWh to the consumer is increasing with the reduction of the nuclear and increased gas imports from Russia.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the adoption of a joint proposal to build a 7.6-mile transmission line that would link the proposed South Fork offshore wind farm to a substation in the Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County. The proposal was agreed to and adopted by the New York State Public Service Commission and more than a dozen stakeholders. The transmission line is the first approved project in New York State to connect to an offshore wind farm. The proposed 132 MW South Fork wind farm project would provide enough clean energy to power 70,000 average homes annually. It would be located 35 miles east of Montauk Point, out of sight from Long Island beaches. The transmission line is expected to be operational by 2023.
“When people say it’s never been done before, New York shows them how to get it done, and this transmission power line – the first of its kind in the state – will showcase what the future of energy will look like,” Governor Cuomo said. “Offshore wind is a critical component of our ambitious green energy vision, and this plan holds the blueprint that will move us a step closer to making this vision a reality.”
Commission Chair John B. Howard said, “Our decision today is one that hits all the right marks. With this decision, we demonstrate the clear need for the project while avoiding or minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Further, this project will play a key role in developing much needed clean-energy on Long Island and helping New York achieve its nation-leading renewable energy goals.”
The purpose of the project is to transmit electricity generated by the proposed South Fork wind farm to the existing East Hampton substation. Together, the South Fork wind farm and the transmission project address the need identified by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) in its 2015 competitive bidding process for new sources of power generation that could cost-effectively and reliably supply the South Fork of Suffolk County. The project has been thoroughly discussed and vetted. Public statements hearings were well attendedwith approximately 80 speakers. In addition, nearly 3,000 written comments were submitted in the proceeding.
PSEG Long Island selected the South Fork wind farm along with other proposals as part of a portfolio because it most cost effectively met the needs established in the South Fork bidding process. By delivering power from the South Fork wind farm, the transmission line will serve the public interest by contributing to the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and Clean Energy Standard, diversifying the State’s electric generation mix and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
On September 14, 2018, Deepwater Wind South Fork, LLC, the developer, filed for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the construction of approximately 3.5 miles of submarine cable from the New York State territorial waters to the south shore of the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County and approximately 4.1 miles of underground cable from the south shore to an existing East Hampton substation.
The joint proposal was agreed to by the developer, staff of the Department of Public Service, the Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Department of State, the Department of Transportation, the Town of East Hampton trustees, PSEG Long Island, Concerned Citizens of Montauk, the Group for the East End, Inc., Montauk United, Win With Wind, and others.
In addition to requiring that the cable will be buried 30-feet at a minimum below the surface of Wainscott Beach – where the project is to make landfall — other conditions will limit construction periods to off-peak seasons to ensure construction-related impacts are minimized.
New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading climate plan is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the CLCPA, New York is on a path to reach its mandated goals of economy-wide carbon neutrality and achieving a zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040, faster than any other state. It builds on New York’s unprecedented ramp-up of clean energy including a $3.9 billion investment in 67 large-scale renewable projects across the state, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector, a commitment to develop over 1,800 megawatts of offshore wind by 2024, and 1,800 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. New York’s Climate Action Council is working on a scoping plan to build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments benefit disadvantaged communities, and advancing progress towards the state’s 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.
Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s website at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 18-T-0604 in the input box labeled “Search for Case/Matter Number.” Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.
