ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) will hold two in-person public statement hearings on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at the Town of Carthage Recreation Building, and two virtual public statement hearings on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 to be held on-line, regarding an application filed by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid (National Grid) for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (Certificate) pursuant to Article VII of the Public Service Law (PSL) to rebuild an existing transmission line.  Detailed information about the project will be provided at the hearings.

On March 28, 2025, National Grid filed an application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need pursuant to Article VII of the PSL seeking authorization to construct, operate, and maintain the Black River – Beaver River 115 kilovolt (kV) Transmission Rebuild project. The project involves rebuilding about 27.44 miles of 115 kV transmission lines between the existing Black River Substation in the Town of LeRay, Jefferson County, and the new Beaver River Substation in the Town of Croghan, Lewis County. The project transverses the Towns of LeRay, Rutland, Champion, and Wilna, and the Villages of Black River and Carthage in Jefferson County, and the Town of Croghan in Lewis County. The project rebuild would include the replacement of the existing double circuit wood structures, single and double circuit lattice structures, and double circuit tubular steel poles with new single circuit, direct-embedded engineered steel, davit arm monopoles for tangent suspension and single circuit, engineered steel monopole structures on drilled pier concrete caisson foundations for angle, dead-end, and tap structures. National Grid proposes to primarily rebuild the transmission line within the existing right-of-way (ROW), with a segment of line requiring a new ROW. Although National Grid already owns a combination of fee and easement rights over the length of the project, additional easement rights will be needed for the relocated lines on the new ROW, as well as expanded rights in portions of the existing ROW. National Grid’s acquisition of these additional easement rights may involve the exercise of eminent domain authority and the taking of privately-owned property. National Grid maintains that the project is necessary to ensure its continued provision of safe and reliable service and to achieve the objectives of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act within the Watertown/Oswego/Porter Area of Concern.

The application may be reviewed online at the Department of Public Service (Department) web page, www.dps.ny.gov, by clicking on “File Search” (located under the heading “Commission Files”) and entering “25-T-0195” in the box labelled “Search by Case Number.”

Under New York State Law, the Commission may adopt or reject National Grid’s proposal, in whole or in part, or modify it. In doing so, the Commission will consider, among other things, input from the participating parties and the public.

In-Person and virtual information forums and public statement hearings will be held in this proceeding and will be transcribed. At the beginning of each hearing National Grid will present a brief overview of the proposed project, and members of the public will have an opportunity to ask questions about the transmission rebuild project. At the hearings, those wishing to comment on the proposed project will have an opportunity to make a statement on the record before the assigned Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) or to submit a written statement. A verbatim transcript of each public statement hearing will be included in the record of this proceeding and will be available on the Commission’s website.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that in-person public statement hearings will be held as follows:

It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance or to present written material to speak at an in-person hearing, but completion of a speaker registration card is required upon arrival at the in-person hearing. Individuals will be called to speak in the order in which the speaker registration card is completed. Each public statement hearing will be open for at least thirty minutes or until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements have been made to include their comments in the record.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that virtual public statement hearings will be held as follows:

Any person wishing to provide a public statement on the record during the virtual public statement hearings must register to do so by Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in accordance with the instructions set forth below.

To register and provide a statement electronically:

Participants who would like to provide a statement and who will log in to a hearing electronically must register by the date indicated above by visiting https://dps.ny.gov/calendar, where they should click on the “View DPS Calendar Listings” button under “Calendars” section, scroll to and click on National Grid Black River Public Statement Hearings for the particular hearing date, click the “Register” button, and provide all requested information. After registration is complete, registrants will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to join the hearing.

When logging in to participate virtually on the hearing date and at the relevant hearing time, participants will be asked to “select audio system.” It is recommended that participants select “call me” or “call using computer.” The “call me” option will require participants to enter their phone numbers.

To register and provide a statement by phone:

This option is for participants who cannot log in to a virtual hearing electronically. Call-in participants wishing to make a statement at a virtual hearing must register to do so by the date indicated above by calling 1-800-342-3330, following the prompts to the appropriate hearing, and then providing the following information: first name and last name, address, and phone number.

On the hearing date and at the relevant hearing time, dial 1-929-251-9612 and enter the appropriate access code and phone-in password, listed above.

All participants will be muted upon entry into the virtual public statement hearing. The ALJ will call upon each person who has registered to make a statement and will continue each hearing until everyone who has registered to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements to submit comments into the record have been made. Reasonable time limits may be set for each speaker as necessary to afford all attendees an opportunity to be heard. It is requested that lengthy comments be submitted in writing and summarized for oral presentation. 

To listen to the virtual hearings without commenting:

Any interested person may listen to the virtual information forums and hearings by phone by calling 1-929-251-9612 and entering the appropriate access code and phone-in password, listed above. Persons with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodations should call the Department’s Human Resources Management Office at 1-518-473-9463 as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711. Persons with difficulty understanding or reading English are encouraged to call the Department at 1-800-342-3377 or email languageaccess@dps.ny.gov for free language assistance services. To request a translator or sign language interpreter so that you can participate at a specific public statement hearing, please contact the Department at least 10 days before the hearing by calling 1-800-342-3377 or emailing your request to languageaccess@dps.ny.gov.

Other Ways to Comment

For those who cannot attend or prefer not to speak at a public statement hearing, there are several other ways to provide your comments to the Commission. Comments should refer to “Case 25-T-0195” and must be received by Friday, January 30, 2026. Comments received after the deadline may not be considered by the Commission.

Internet or Mail: Go to www.dps.ny.gov, click on “File Search” (located under the heading “Commission Files”), enter “25-T-0195” in the “Search by Case Number” box, and then click on “Post Comments” at the top right of the page.

Those who are unable to file comments electronically may mail their comments to the Hon. Michelle L. Phillips, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, 12223-1350. Electronic filing of comments is strongly encouraged.

Written comments submitted in accordance with this Notice will be posted on the Department’s website and may be accessed by searching the case number, as described above, and clicking on the “Public Comments” tab. However, as noted above, untimely comments may not be considered by the Commission.

Toll-Free Opinion Line: Individuals may submit comments by calling the Commission’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. This number is set up to receive comments about pending cases from in-State callers 24-hours a day. These comments are not transcribed, but a summary is provided to the Commission.