Transmission

Greening the electricity grid with Offshore Wind

Achieving 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind will help deliver New York’s goal of 70 percent renewable energy by 2030

New York’s transition to a clean energy future will require 70 percent of our electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. To support the rapid growth of renewable energy generation in the State, including 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, New York will develop a plan for upgrading our electricity grid with smart new technologies that increase the capacity and effectiveness of our transmission system. Authorizing and building new transmission capacity will prepare the way for new renewable energy sources and bring clean power to areas of the state with the greatest need.

Transmission and interconnection strategies play a considerable role in offshore wind cost, feasibility, scalability, sizing, and implementation approaches. In its Offshore Wind Policy Options Paper, NYSERDA explored two of these strategies—direct radial and backbone. Direct radial transmission facilities are developed, sized, and constructed to support one offshore wind facility. Backbone transmission facilities are expandable to accommodate an initial facility as well as facilities built in the future. While there are advantages and disadvantages to each offshore design concept, both structures must reconcile their design with the physical parameters of lease locations, opportunities for coordination, and ultimately, with the technical constraints of interconnecting to New York’s electrical grid.

NYSERDA recommended a direct radial transmission approach dedicated to specific projects and owned by the developer in the State’s first and second solicitations for offshore wind energy. Going forward, the State will continue to evaluate the potential of a backbone approach – or offshore transmission grid – in its effort to provide an optimized set of solutions to New York’s ratepayers.

In 2020, New York State passed the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act [PDF] to accelerate progress towards the State’s nation-leading clean energy goals. The Act instructs the State to conduct a Power Grid Study to inform transmission system investments that will be necessary to achieve the clean energy goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). The Power Grid Study is comprised of three component studies: 1) a joint utilities study on local transmission and distribution needs; 2) an offshore wind study of bulk-power transmission needs; and 3) a statewide transmission analysis to achieve the Climate Act goals. To read the studies, review public comments, and engage in the public process, visit the Department of Public Service Matter Master 20-00905/20-E-0197 [PDF].

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New York Offshore Wind Cable Corridor Constraints Assessment

NYSERDA is conducting an Offshore Wind Cable Corridor Constraints Assessment to better understand siting offshore wind cables in New York State waters, at landfall, and along overland routes. The Assessment coordinates the analysis and evaluation of potential resource constraints, including natural and environmental, socioeconomic, and infrastructure, within corridor segments to support future decision making and policy development to achieve New York State’s goals and mandates and allow for commercial innovation. The Assessment may inform what actions New York State can consider, helping ensure maximum benefits of renewable OSW energy while minimizing conflicts and impacts on activities and infrastructure. Finally, the Assessment includes coordination with New York State agencies and ongoing and earnest engagement with key stakeholders. View the webinar here .

View Assessment Report [PDF]

Brooklyn Clean Energy Hub

On August 17, 2022 The Department of Public Service staff alongside staff from NYSERDA held a virtual technical conference to provide a forum for interested stakeholders to discuss the Brooklyn Clean Energy Hub, proposed in the proceeding by Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. on April 15, 2022. Interested parties may view the webinar here .

New York Offshore Wind Interconnection

On September 28, 2022 NYSERDA hosted a public technical webinar relating to offshore wind interconnection into New York. Three organizations presented their proposed project(s), including Avangrid, New York Power Authority (NYPA), and Rise Light & Power. The webinar provided a forum for organizations to present their proposed solutions for offshore wind interconnection to offshore wind project developers and other interested parties and to provide webinar participants an opportunity to ask questions of the presenters. This webinar is for informational and discussion purposes only, and neither the convening of, nor any comments made during the webinar should be viewed as an endorsement by NYSERDA, the Department of Public Service or the Public Service Commission. Interested parties may view the webinar and access the presentation slides through the links below.

Materials for this webinar: