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Though Long Island’s electrical grid infrastructure does need upgrades and...

Though Long Island’s electrical grid infrastructure does need upgrades and reinforcement, undergrounding 100% of our transmission system is not the answer, the author writes. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost

This guest essay reflects the views of Glenwood Landing resident Cecelia McCann, a member of the Glenwood Glen Head Civic Association and an insurance claims professional specializing in commercial equipment breakdown insurance whose duties include forensic analysis of machinery and equipment failures including utility power generation, transmission and distribution system failures.

We all have been hearing about the increasing demand for energy and how we can best meet those needs. The New York State Independent System Operator, or NYISO, the nonpartisan organization charged with managing the state’s power grid, has raised concerns about the long-term viability of the grid.

Long Island’s electrical grid infrastructure does need upgrades and reinforcement — especially as our demands increase. Undergrounding 100% of our transmission system, as has been recommended by NYISO, is not the answer. We need to hit the pause button and understand that balance and moderation are needed.

The Industrial Economics Report, prepared at the request of NYISO and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, dated June 23, 2023, strongly advises against the undergrounding of transmission lines throughout the state. "The analysis indicates that the cost of undergrounding the electric power transmission and distribution lines owned by the utilities would substantially exceed the associated benefits," the report states, noting that consumers will see a rate increase between 50% and 300%, depending on their locality.

Several transmission projects have submitted applications to NYISO and the Department of Public Service for approval — the Juno Power Express project by Anbaric located throughout Nassau and Western Suffolk, the Southampton to Deerfield project by LIPA, and the Propel NY project by NY Transco. The first two involve installations of relatively short distances, 17.5 and 4.5 miles, respectively, in existing rights of way. The economic benefits of both are favorable.

The Propel NY project is a different matter. It is a nearly 90-mile installation, requiring the construction of several new rights of way, and the economic impact is not favorable at all. In a May 2023 report by Potomac Economics, the NYISO Market Monitoring Unit concluded that it would be premature to move forward with the Propel NY project. With no cost benefit until 2040, the Propel NY project was not recommended. The report said there are alternate projects with less negative impacts which should be considered.

One portion of the $3.26 billion Propel NY underground transmission project has three high-voltage transmission lines, totaling 828 kV of energy, bisecting the densely populated residential communities and business districts of Glenwood Landing and Glen Head. The intention of Propel NY to install 1.5 miles of cables under an approximately 35-foot-wide roadway is egregious. Propel NY would need waivers of Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, and state rules and regulations governing the installation of utility cables which are co-located with natural gas service, water supply lines, or fire hydrants. Additional waivers would be needed as the setbacks from residential and commercial structures would be out of compliance. The rules and regulations are there for safety reasons. Co-locating high-voltage transmission with gas supply presents an unacceptable risk of explosion if they are too close. Inductive coupling of stray voltage on fire hydrants puts our volunteer firefighters at risk.

Yes, our infrastructure needs upgrading and maintenance. Some projects already or soon to be underway will help reinforce our electrical grid. Undergrounding 100% of the transmission system is not the answer. We should not be rushing ahead with projects like Propel NY, which are unnecessarily expensive and risk the safety and health of community members.

This guest essay reflects the views of Glenwood Landing resident Cecelia McCann, a member of the Glenwood Glen Head Civic Association and an insurance claims professional specializing in commercial equipment breakdown insurance whose duties include forensic analysis of machinery and equipment failures including utility power generation, transmission and distribution system failures.

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