A precursor and complement to the REV initiative, The NY Energy Highway is a far-reaching initiative to modernize New York’s statewide energy system, including electric transmission and generation construction, development of renewable energy sources, and upgrades to electric and natural gas infrastructure. The 13 actions presented in the Energy Highway Blueprint includes a wide range of measures to provide up to 3,200 megawatts (MW) of additional electric generation and transmission capacity and clean power generation—enough to serve about 3 million homes—through up to $5.7 billion in private- and public-sector investments. The actions are divided into four categories:
- 1. Increase the capacity to move excess power to high-demand areas
- 2. Develop and implement plans for power plant retirements
- 3. Provide public power entities flexibility in contracting for public-private partnerships
- 1. Accelerate investments in electric generation, transmission, and distribution for reliability, safety, and storm resilience
- 2. Accelerate investments in natural gas distribution to reduce costs to consumers and promote reliability, safety, and emission reductions
- 1. Finance clean energy projects as part of the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard
- 2. Upgrade transmission to help facilitate renewable energy deployment
- 3. Evaluate offshore wind resources
- 4. Upgrade power plants on Long Island
- 5. Require utilities to evaluate cleaner fuel sources as an alternative to power plant retirements if a plant is needed for reliability
- 6. Establish a community support plan and greenhouse gas emissions reduction program in the electricity sector
- 1. Fund smart grid demonstration projects
- 2. Develop an advanced energy management system control center