US power company Rise Light & Power has begun a survey of the Hudson River’s riverbed for a proposed 1200MW transmission line that will facilitate more renewable energy in New York.
The proposed Catskills Renewable Connector will supply approximately 15% of New York City’s electricity needs and help increase the state’s solar generation by nearly 50% wind energy by 15%.
Rise Light & Power is working with marine scientists to carry out the riverbed survey to understand river environment and ecology in advance of clean energy development.
The data gathered from the surveys – from Ravena to the Harlem River – will help map the submarine cable route and reduce impacts to river ecology.
A high-tech vessel will use an instrument suite to map the contours of the seafloor and riverbed, any potential obstructions, and any significant submerged historic cultural resources along the proposed cable route.
The Catskills Renewable Program, offered by Rise Light & Power in response to a request-for-proposal from NYSERDA’s newly established Tier 4 REC programme, would create a 1.2GW submarine and underground renewables-transmission line that delivers clean, affordable wind and solar energy from across upstate to the downstate region.
If approved by NYSERDA, Rise Light & Power will contract with renewable energy developers in upstate New York to build thousands of megawatts of new wind and solar energy, and it will build the Catskills Renewable Connector to deliver that clean energy to customers in New York City.
Collectively, this programme will create more than 5000 jobs for New Yorkers and generate more than $2bn the company said.