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The Empire State Line runs for 20 miles.

The Empire State Line is a new power line that runs 20 miles through Erie and Niagara counties.

But to supporters of the project, it's much more than a collection of wires, sleek steel structures and switchyards.

It's a pathway to help the state meet its renewable energy goals.

Route map for the $180 million Empire State Line, a 345-kilovolt long-distance power line from Royalton to Elma.

The line, which extends from Royalton to Elma, aims to ensure the Niagara Power Project in Lewiston realizes its full power-generating potential. It also creates modern infrastructure to support the rising demand for electricity.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday joined leaders of NextEra Energy Transmission to mark completion of the $180 million project. The Empire State Line entered service in May, with new switchyards built at each end of the line.

The 345-kilovolt line has come online at a time when the state's energy picture is undergoing dramatic changes.

Older, coal-fired plants in the region – including NRG facilities in the Town of Tonawanda and Dunkirk, and an AES Corp. plant in Somerset – have shut down. Meanwhile, the state is heavily emphasizing clean energy, aiming to generate 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Demand for electricity is expected to keep climbing, for everything from recharging electric vehicles to anticipated changes in how homes and buildings in the state will be powered in the coming years.

"In essence, the Empire State Line is unlocking a significant amount of renewables already in operation, that can now flow freely to support the citizens of New York and its businesses," said Rebecca Kujawa, president and CEO of NextEra Energy Resources. "We believe that we're going to need more transmission, not only in New York, but across the country."

NextEra says the Empire State Line will enable transmission of an additional 3,200 megawatts of renewable energy through the state.

Rich Allen, president of NextEra Energy Transmission New York, likened the Empire State Line to building an additional highway lane for transmitting renewable power. At the same time, he said, the Empire State Line's capacity alleviates concerns about potentially overloading existing power lines with electricity generated by the Niagara Power Project.

"That line is going to open up the transmission corridor to allow the full output of the Niagara hydro facility, as well as to be able to increase [energy] imports coming from Ontario," Allen said.

Hochul said the Empire State Line represents a step toward the state meeting its energy goals, which she said are probably the most ambitious in the nation.

"How do we get the clean energy to people? You have to build new transmission lines," she said. 

Richard Dewey, president and CEO of the New York Independent System Operator, which manages the state's power grid, said new infrastructure projects like the Empire State Line are key to maintaining reliability.

"The power grid that we have in place today is not going to be adequate to serve the needs of New Yorkers into the future," Dewey said. "We're really going through a radical transition where not only the supply is being replaced by clean energy solutions, but also the infrastructure that needs to be in place needs to be upgraded both from a technology and a capacity standpoint."

The NYISO selected NextEra for the Empire State Line project following a two-year selection process that began in 2015. Construction started in March 2021. About 150 unionized workers were part of the project.

National Grid has invested heavily in its area infrastructure, to meet the future needs of homeowners and businesses. In Dunkirk, the utility is investing $47 million to separate its operations from NRG's generating station and install new equipment. In Niagara Falls, National Grid is spending $80 million on new substations and related equipment.

New York state has laid out sweeping goals in an energy roadmap that is now being finalized. The plan's contents call for dramatic changes for powering homes and buildings in years to come, as part of a strategy to shift away from use of fossil fuels.

Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy.

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The Empire State Line runs for 20 miles.

Route map for the $180 million Empire State Line, a 345-kilovolt long-distance power line from Royalton to Elma.

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