Energy Investments & Projects

How We’re Investing in Our Future – And Yours!

We believe the clean energy transition is critical for our future. That’s why we’re making investments to support a smooth transition away from fossil fuels while continuing to provide customers with the safe and reliable service we’ve provided for more than one hundred years. And by building a more resilient infrastructure, we can better protect our service territory from the impacts of climate change.

Strengthening our energy infrastructure to meet the increased demand for electrification.

New York has the Country’s most ambitious climate law requiring the transition to a zero-emission energy grid by 2040. As a critical partner in meeting the state’s ambitious goals, O&R is expanding to accommodate new sources of renewable energy and increased demand as customers transition away from fossil fuels.

Our investments now will allow O&R to usher in a clean energy future equitably and efficiently so all our customers can share in the benefits of a more sustainable electric grid. And we will do so while also maintaining our commitment to aiding our most economically vulnerable customers, supporting the Energy Affordability Program, and targeting investment benefits to people living in disadvantaged communities.

Our Investment Plan

In January 2024, O&R filed with the NYS Public Service Commission an electric and natural gas delivery investment plan designed to expand O&R’s electric system capacity to serve growing residential and commercial demand, modernize the electric system, integrate more renewable energy, and fortify the electric system to protect it from threats posed by climate change.

The plan includes gas projects related to safety and reliability as O&R is responsible for maintaining a safe and reliable energy system. Ultimately, our goal is to help customers make a transition away from natural gas economically and with limited disruption to their lives. This investment plan helps us move in that direction. We are currently installing smart gas detectors and replacing leak-prone infrastructure to reduce emissions associated with the O&R gas system.

The plan also includes several Customer Service investments that will enhance the customer experience, such as virtual assistants and a program to inform and enable stakeholder involvement in the clean energy transition.

Investing in the Communities We Serve

O&R supports investments in traditionally underserved neighborhoods. This investment plan will not only fund initiatives that will reduce emissions, promote resiliency, and continue improving O&R’s reliability throughout our service area, but also will do so in disadvantaged communities. Projects include:

• Construction of four new company-owned battery energy storage systems that will be co-located with public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The facilities will help with peak load shaving and system reliability in high-traffic areas that are relied on for EV charging. The four locations are Haverstraw, Nyack, Middletown, and Sloatsburg/Ramapo.
• The Shoemaker Substation Project involves the construction of new 138kv and 69kV substation yards, adjacent to the existing Shoemaker Substation in the City of Middletown, NY. The new yards will provide renewable integration benefits and become the clean energy hub of O&R’s Western Division.
• The Bullville Substation Project involves 69kV transmission / substation upgrades to the substation that will add headroom to integrate clean energy projects and flexibility to accommodate renewable resources. The current design of the Bullville Substation severely limits the ability to service increased demand and the ability to interconnect additional distributed energy resources (DER) such as rooftop solar and battery storage.
• The Burns Substation Upgrade Project will provide substation transformer and circuit capacity to support interconnection projects and beneficial electrification.
• Construction of Forest Avenue Substation in the Town of Monroe will support new expected load growth in the area and directly supports the electrification needs of the surrounding area.
• Building a new Goshen Substation, which improves area reliability, addresses aging/obsolescent infrastructure, and facilitates electrification and DER hosting capacity.

Investing in a Clean Energy Future

The investment plan will advance the state’s clean energy goals while also enabling the continuation of safe and reliable service. O&R needs to be able to bring renewable energy to customers where and when they need it. The investment plan includes funding for a range of infrastructure projects across the O&R service territory that will enable homes and businesses to switch to clean energy alternatives.

Investing to Keep Energy Affordable

We’re committed to keeping bills affordable and advancing affordability programs to protect our most vulnerable customers. O&R will continue to be an active participant and support the continued evolution and growth of the Energy Affordability Program that provides monthly discounts to low-income customers that qualify.

O&R also has added interactive features to the O&R Marketplace that enable low-income customers and those living in disadvantaged communities to participate in energy efficiency programs.

Investing in Resiliency for Climate Change Risks

Notable projects include:

• The Selective Undergrounding Program, aimed at enhancing the durability and reliability of O&R’s electric system by undergrounding specific lines. This program will improve public safety (e.g., reduce risks from fallen lines during storms) and support a more reliable power delivery system, particularly during major storm events.
• Other planned programs in the investment plan filing would expand capacity in Orange County including the construction of new electric substations in Blooming Grove, Monroe, and Warwick, and the expansion of existing substations in Middletown and Westtown.

Investing in the Local Economy

O&R provides economic benefits to the communities in the O&R service territory through the taxes we pay, the 1,100+ workers we employ and the indirect jobs we create and support.

Highlights from O&R’s Economic Impact Report, reflecting contributions to our NY and NJ service territory in 2022, include:

• High impact on local and State economies:
  • Total Economic Output: $1.9B
  • Total direct jobs: 1,129 (+ 2,280 indirect jobs)
  • O&R Employees stay at their jobs 2X longer than non-Con Edison industry peers.
  • Total taxes paid to local and state government: $184M
• $800,000 dollars in grants provided to many nonprofit organizations/employee volunteer efforts.
• O&R’s $159 million in fiscal contributions in New York, and $25 million in state and local taxes in New Jersey is enough to pay 2,300 public school teachers or 2,800 social workers in the region.
• O&R provides energy to nearly one million people, with fewer electricity interruptions and two times faster response rate compared to national averages.