This new infrastructure, project officials said, will support increased demand for energy, bolster reliability and resiliency, reduce bottlenecking along existing transmission lines, and help New York transition to clean energy.

Construction on the project, which will create 2,000 jobs annually for its duration, will not result in any service disruptions and is scheduled to begin later this year. 

Project officials said it is expected to take 3-4 years to complete construction, and the transmission lines are planned to be operational by May 2030.

Propel NY Energy is a $3.26 billion electric transmission partnership between the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and New York Transco, along with collaboration from WSP, an engineering and professional services consulting firm.

Susan Craig, director of media relations at NYPA, emphasized that this is not an energy storage or offshore wind project, nor is it permitted through the RAPID Act. Rather, it is a transmission project permitted through NYS Article VII and meant to improve clean energy efficiency.

“We like to say we are energy agnostic,” Craig said. “This transmission project will help electrons from whatever generation source is out there to get it to where it needs to go… We are the backbone before it gets to the distribution system. It’s essentially an energy highway.”

Propel will install six new 345 kV transmission lines, along with a new 138kV line, that will run underground, meaning they will be weather resistant.

The underground transmission lines will transmit energy from all generation sources in both directions from Westchester County, through the Bronx and Queens, and to Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island.

What areas will be impacted?

Project officials said after examining a few route options, balancing costs and conducting community outreach, they mapped out a preferred route through Queens that is now being submitted to the NYS Public Service Commission for approval.

Starting from the Long Island side, the proposed route will run west along Northern Boulevard through Douglaston and Bayside, take a turn north at 207th Street, turn east under 26th Avenue and turn north again under Bell Boulevard near the Bay Terrace Shopping Center.

It will briefly run under Totten Road, take a turn west under the Cross Island Parkway through Whitestone and turn north under the Whitestone Expressway before exiting Queens under the East River and into the Bronx.

Project officials said residents can expect ongoing communication from the energy company throughout the entire construction process via mailed letters, door hangers, updates on its website, emails, SMS texts, social media channels and push notifications on the Propel NY Energy app.

The app can be downloaded from the Google and Apple stores.

Why is this project necessary?

Craig explained that part of the goal of the project is to ensure the energy grid is able to support growing demand for things like electric cars and data centers.

Current underground infrastructure hasn’t been updated since the 1980s, she noted, meaning these upgrades are long overdue.

Estimates also show that demand on the grid will increase anywhere from 50-90% in the next 20 years, making this a critical time for upgrades.

Craig brought up last year’s heat wave, which resulted in Long Island’s highest demand for energy since 2016. As a result of the congestion, she continued, prices skyrocketed to $7,000 per megawatt hour.

An October 2025 report showed New York City could face energy reliability violations through the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) as soon as 2026.

NYISO released a report a month later highlighting the need for projects like the one proposed by Propel NY Energy.

Shannon Baxevanis, head of public affairs at Transco, said plans for the project began in 2021 after the Public Service Commission identified a need for a bulk energy transmission system in downstate NY, including NYC.

She explained that Propel identified areas of congestion, noting that there are not enough lanes for energy to flow through efficiently.

“It threatens resiliency of the system and increases the price customers have to pay,” Baxevanis said. “We need to fix that.”

The transmission project will add another 90 circuit miles of new underground lines across downstate NY and connect to existing substations, as well as new substations that will be constructed to support the new lines.

“Once it’s all built and operational, it creates new transmission lines for power to flow efficiently in and out of the region,” she explained. “These are bi-directional lines, which means any power can flow in any direction.”

How will communities be impacted?

Construction will be completed in segments of about 50-150 feet of installation per day, Baxevanis said, which Propel is still working on an execution plan for. 

She said Propel will also restore anything that was disturbed by its construction activities to “prior or better condition.”

Craig explained that every dollar invested in the project is estimated to yield $2.40 in economic activity.

“It’s a significant investment for communities and community members,” she said. “We will be supporting local families and sustaining jobs throughout construction.”

Propel estimates it will contribute to a $2.4 billion boost to local goods and services during construction, as well.

The team underwent a community outreach effort to determine the best route, engaging with stakeholders, civic groups, municipalities, local stakeholders and environment groups to gather feedback on potential construction sites.

They also developed several alternative routes after evaluating local feedback, technical needs, cost and permitting.

In order to address complications with bodies of water the route will pass through, Baxevanis explained that Propel will use a horizontal directional drill and open up a portion of the roadway, excavate, install the equipment, backfill and then restore the road.

“That’s really the lens we look at for this construction effort to minimize disturbance,” she said. “We understand this is construction, and there will be traffic impacts. But, we developed traffic management plans and coordinated that through New York City.”

She said the plan is designed to keep traffic — vehicular, pedestrian — flowing safely and efficiently.

Where can residents learn more?

Baxevanis said Propel plans on maintaining constant communication with residents and business owners through multiple methods of contact during construction.

The app in particular, she explained, will contain a hub for information about construction schedules, and users can even sign up for push notifications.

“So our goal, while yes, is this big core infrastructure project, we want to do so in a way that reflects local voices, values and respect,” Baxevanis said. “For the long term, we want to be good neighbors.”

Marykate Guilfoyle, manager of media for Transco, emphasized that community outreach will also extend beyond the project, as the organization wants to be inclusive, share information and answer any questions about the project. 

Propel has already hosted 31 open houses and 44 table events.

“We want to be accessible,” she said. “In a variety of different ways, we’re meeting people where they are, tabling at local community events and doing briefings… We’re really proud of the effort we put in.”

Propel has also received 78 letters of support from community organizations, labor unions, elected leaders, businesses, environmental agencies, civic associations and institutions, and boasts support from over 1,000 diverse entities.

For more information about the project, visit PropelNYEnergy.com, email info@PropelNYEnergy.com, call 1-800-347-9071, or download the Propel NY Energy app.