ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today granted PSEG Long Island LLC, on behalf of the Long Island Power Authority, authority to construct and operate the Western Nassau transmission project, a 7-mile transmission line that will provide a more robust, resilient and reliable electric system in Western Nassau County.

“Ensuring the reliability of Long Island’s transmission system is a priority,” said Commission Chair John B. Rhodes. “This new line will reinforce the electric transmission system in the Southwest Nassau Area, improve the reliability of service to Long Islanders and enable the local electric grid to meet applicable reliability standards.”

Electric transmission systems must be engineered and constructed in a way that will ensure continued reliable system operation in the event of certain contingencies. As currently configured, the system feeding Southwest Nassau County does not meet applicable reliability standards. To address this, PSEG-LI proposed adding a new 138-kilovolt (kV) underground transmission line, constituting a second electric transmission circuit between the East Garden City substation in Uniondale and the Valley Stream substation in Lynbrook.

The project is located wholly within the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, would traverse the Villages of Garden City, Malverne and Lynbrook, and would be constructed primarily within the public roadway rights-of-way for approximately seven miles. Planned construction methods are conventional trenching and, where required to minimize any impact on the associated communities and roadways, horizontal directional drilling techniques and jacking and boring.

PSEG-LI has endeavored, to the extent practical, to site the project within its franchise limits. Nonetheless, it will be necessary to install some portions of the project and to perform construction beyond these limits, and PSEG-LI has obtained or will obtain temporary construction access and workspace rights and permanent underground easement rights in areas where it does not now have such rights. The project design standards will be in compliance with PSEG-LI’s storm hardening requirements for a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Category III Hurricane.

The joint proposal in this case is supported by five parties that have been active in this proceeding — PSEG-LI, New York State Department of Public Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Village of Lynbrook, and the Village of Rockville Centre. Project approval follows an extensive public outreach effort by PSEG-LI and the Department of Public Service, including two public statement hearings. The joint proposal addresses the statutory and regulatory issues pertaining to PSEG-LI’s request, adequately discusses all probable environmental impacts, and addresses the steps needed to ensure that the project as proposed represents the minimal adverse environmental impact, considering the state of available technology and the nature and economics of various alternatives and other pertinent considerations. The process provided all interested parties and the public a full opportunity to participate.

The entire project will be located underground except for portions located at the East Garden City and Valley Stream substations. The project will conform to the requirements and planning objectives of the New York Independent System Operator and is consistent with PSEG-LI’s long-range plan for the expansion of its transmission facilities. Further, the project will be designed, constructed and operated in a manner that avoids or minimizes impacts to environmental resources.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 17-T-0752 in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.