The construction of a new bi-directional electrical transmission line that will traverse the east Bronx, has cleared an important hurdle.
Propel NY Energy, a consortium comprised of New York Power Authority, New York Transco and WSP, received notification that the NYS Public Service Commission approved its application to construct the single circuit, 3-cable line.
The recently obtained environmental certificate ‘green lights’ the work to begin, travelling through lower Westchester, into the Bronx, connecting with Con Edison’s substation in its Bronxdale Avenue yard and then continuing southerly into Ferry Point Park, across the East River, to Queens and Nassau counties and terminating in Suffolk.
“The Public Service Commission’s recent approval of Propel NY Energy’s Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need underscores both the urgency of this investment and the extensive planning, technical analysis and community engagement that have shaped this project over the past three years,” a spokesperson for Propel NY Energy said.
Pre-construction is about to start, and the 2-year project is expected to begin mid-2027, with the entire line expected to be up and running by 2030. The plan calls for a total of 90 miles of new transmission lines, encompassing six new 345kV lines and one new 138kV line, and three new electrical substations, to create a more reliable, resilient and redundant electrical grid.
Propel has been busy conducting community engagement meetings over the last 10 months in the communities affected by the Uniondale Hub to Tremont Segment of the route: Castle Hill, Unionport, Morris Park, Parkchester, Pelham Parkway, Van Nest and Westchester Square.
Propel has held 33 open houses and 48 community tabling events, posted over 100 public ads and sent out direct mailings to explain the project.
The firm has reached out to the businesses along the route, has held meetings with the Bronx Borough President’s office, as well as other elected officials via Zoom and conducted presentations at local civic associations, schools, and churches.
“We look forward to continuing to work with local communities to deliver a project that will significantly improve the reliability, resiliency, and capacity of the downstate power grid,” the spokesperson added.
The Uniondale Hub to Tremont Segment will start at the Con Edison substation, travel down Bronxdale Avenue, to Castle Hill Avenue and Zerega Avenue, and then zigzag through the Zerega Industrial Park, to Westchester Creek and then onto Ferry Point Park.
At Ferry Point Park, the line will avoid recreational areas and the cut will need to be deeper as it prepares to dip into the East River. Work in the park will be seasonal, from November through March.
The construction process will move 50 to 150 feet per day. Other than Ferry Point Park, the normal trench depth will be approximately three feet and 5- to 6-feet wide as the line avoids other utilities occupying the roadbed.
The last transmission lines constructed for the grid in this region were 1978 and 1991. The new transmission line will be capable of connecting Long Island’s renewable energy to the state’s grid.
