Con Edison Building New Transmission Line for NYC Borough

Con Edison has said it is investing $125 million to build a new transmission line that will support economic development and the electrification of buildings and vehicles in Queens, New York. The Reliable Clean City—Long Island City project will connect the Vernon and Newtown substations in Long Island City.

The line will have the capacity to carry 200 MW. (Click this link for a video about the project.)

Con Edison on April 18 said an increase in electric vehicle purchases and a surge in newly electrified high-rise buildings is driving the need for power in some neighborhoods would eventually exceed the capacity of the grid without this project. The line will be in service by the summer of 2026.

“Our Reliable Clean City—LIC project will increase the capacity of our system, helping us to maintain our world-class reliability throughout fast-growing areas of Queens,” said Matthew Ketschke, the president of Con Edison. “Queens residents and businesses can rely on us to support growth, economic development and the electrification of transportation and buildings across these vibrant neighborhoods.”

The line will help ensure reliability for customers in areas of Long Island City, Sunnyside, Sunnyside Gardens, Woodside, and Hunter’s Point. The construction of the line, when combined with other investments Con Edison is making, will also benefit other areas of the borough in the coming years.

Working with the Community

Con Edison wants to communicate openly with residents, business owners, elected officials and others in the area to minimize any inconvenience.

• Con Edison will consider environmental impacts, including air protection and water quality during construction.
• Con Edison has met with local elected officials, community boards, businesses, nonprofits, and others about the Reliable Clean City—LIC project to address their questions and concerns.
• Con Edison has used construction signage, customer e-mails, work notifications and flyers to inform the community.

The project is one of three Reliable Clean City transmission lines Con Edison is building to strategically add needed capacity. The company plans to put lines in Brooklyn and Staten Island in service by this summer.

Con Edison completed another Reliable Clean City transmission line in Queens in 2023, connecting substations in Corona and Long Island City. That line allowed the closure of an inefficient, fossil fuel power plant, meaning cleaner air.

World-Class Reliability

The Reliable Clean City—LIC project is among many infrastructure investments Con Edison is making to keep its service the most reliable in the U.S. for customers. Con Edison’s electric service is nine times more reliable than other New York State providers and nine times more reliable than the U.S. average, according to the company. Based on 2023 data, the average Con Edison customer would experience an outage about once every nine years, not counting outages caused by severe weather.

“Long Island City is one of the fastest growing communities in the state with a surge of new residents, businesses, and development projects over the past decade,” said Laura Rothrock, president of Long Island City Partnership and executive director of Long Island City Business Improvement District. “As Long Island City thrives, our energy needs evolve. Con Edison’s infrastructure investment will ensure our community has the power it needs to continue on its exciting path.”

“Con Edison is continuing its two-century tradition of providing reliable energy, enabling western Queens to maintain our momentum as an increasingly attractive place to live, work and learn,” said Kenneth Adams, the president of LaGuardia Community College. “This investment will contribute to creating a thriving local economy, with successful businesses of all sizes and plentiful jobs.”

“Community Board 2 appreciates the continued improvements that are needed to sustain the growing infrastructure,” said Debra Markell Kleinert, district manager, Community Board 2. “These improvements and investments in the community are imperative to the positive growth for sustainability. We appreciate our ongoing partnership with Con Edison.”

Con Edison, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Inc., is one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $15 billion in annual revenues and $71 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas, and steam, and serves 3.7 million customers in New York City and Westchester County.

—POWER edited this content, which was contributed by Con Edison’s communications team.