Requires the office of renewable energy siting and electric transmission to establish a mapping, installation and efficiency plan for the purpose of building new electric transmission lines.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2485
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 21, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommuni-
cations
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to expanding elec-
tric transmission lines throughout the state of New York
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Article 8 of the public service law is amended by adding a
2 new section 149 to read as follows:
3 § 149. Electric transmission line expansion plan. 1. ORES shall estab-
4 lish a mapping, installation and efficiency plan for the purpose of
5 allowing ORES and other applicable New York state entities to identify
6 locations in the state where new or existing electric transmission lines
7 can be built or upgraded, excluding specified indigenous land or prime
8 agricultural areas that may be negatively impacted. Such plan shall
9 focus on the implementation of new or existing electric transmission
10 lines to allow the expansion of transmission and distribution infras-
11 tructure in under-served communities.
12 2. ORES shall promulgate rules and regulations to simplify the process
13 and maximize efficiency for installing new or existing electric trans-
14 mission lines, and such rules and regulations shall consider man hours,
15 time, and cost.
16 3. ORES, in consultation with the department, electric and combined
17 electric-gas corporations shall gather data regarding the available
18 capacity of electric distribution infrastructure and its efficiency for
19 communities served in areas with high levels of line congestion, and/or
20 areas with high renewable penetration within the state of New York. ORES
21 and the department in gathering such data shall include the resource mix
22 of wind, solar, hydrogen, electric and gas power generating facilities.
23 4. Once ORES has identified potential new locations or sites requiring
24 upgrades for electric transmission lines pursuant to subdivision one of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06647-01-5
S. 2485 2
1 this section and has established processes for installing new electric
2 transmission lines in an efficient manner pursuant to subdivision two of
3 this section, ORES shall release the mapping tool, the efficiency plan
4 and a report on the ORES website. The report shall detail:
5 (a) any processes ORES found regarding the efficient installation of
6 new electric transmission lines;
7 (b) any relevant data gathered regarding the availability of capacity
8 for distribution lines in communities that have high rates of renewable
9 penetration and/or high levels of line congestion;
10 (c) a detailed list of potential locations for new electric trans-
11 mission lines; and
12 (d) any other data or information ORES and the department finds rele-
13 vant to this section.
14 5. ORES shall submit an annual report to the legislature on the status
15 of new transmission lines built under its oversight until completion of
16 such new transmission lines. Such report shall include the status of any
17 new or upgraded transmission lines built under the regulatory oversight
18 of ORES and the effect of the rules and regulations promulgated by ORES
19 and any information regarding contractors and progress made toward the
20 installation of new transmission and distribution lines. Further, such
21 report shall include the data gathered by ORES, the department, electric
22 and combined electric-gas corporations pursuant to subdivision three of
23 this section, and the effects of new transmission and distribution lines
24 distributing electricity to under-served communities.
25 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
26 the amendments to article 8 of the public service law made by section
27 one of this act shall not affect the expiration of such article and
28 shall be deemed to expire therewith.
