New York Construction Report staff writer
Officials gathered this week to announce the start of construction on the converter station for the 339-mile Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission line – paving the way for the first-ever transformation of a fossil fuel site into a grid-scale zero-emission facility in New York City.
Once completed, the facility will convert 1,250 megawatts of clean energy from direct current to alternating current power that will be fed directly into the city’s power grid.
“Renewable energy plays a critical role in the transformation of our power grid while creating a cleaner environment for our future generations,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said at the event. “The transformation of a fossil fuel site into a zero-emission facility highlights the world of possibilities we have to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, mitigate the impact of climate change and accelerate our collective progress of shifting our power grid to go green.”
Located in Astoria, Queens, construction on the converter station officially began on June 22, including significant remediation work that was required to prepare the site for construction of this zero-emissions facility. In total, six tanks which previously stored 12 million gallons of No. 6 oil, as well as nearly four miles of piping were removed from the site. During peak construction, approximately 150 union workers will develop the facility with Kiewit Corporation as lead contractor for the site, which is expected to begin operating in 2026.
As part of the construction kickoff, CHPE today announced the first recipients of funding from the Green Economy Fund (GEF), a $40 million fund created by Hydro-Québec and Transmission Developers to support disadvantaged communities, low-income individuals, and transitioning fossil fuel workers in accessing and building careers in New York State’s green economy.
Four awards totaling $750,000 will go to Pathways to Apprenticeship, Stacks + Joules, Nontraditional Employment for Women, and the NYC District Council of Carpenters Apprenticeship Journeyman Retraining Educational and Industry Fund (AJREIF).
“Champlain Hudson will play a key role in our comprehensive plan to modernize our state’s transmission system so that it delivers clean energy to all New Yorkers, while advancing our climate goals and creating clean-energy jobs,” said Public Service Commission Chair Rory M. Christian.
Renewable energy plays a critical role in the transformation of our power grid while creating a cleaner environment for our future generations.
