# NYPA and National Grid Fully Operationalize 100-Mile Smart Path Connect 345 kV Transmission Corridor

> The New York Power Authority (NYPA) and National Grid have fully energized the 100-mile Smart Path Connect high-voltage transmission project, rebuilding critical 230 kV circuits to modern 345 kV standards and installing advanced autotransformers to unbottle 1,000 MW of upstate hydropower and wind into the New York bulk power grid.

- **Publish Date:** 2026-09-26
- **Category:** transmission-substations
- **Reading Time:** 5 min
- **Original Source Citation:** [New York Power Authority (NYPA) & National Grid](https://www.nypa.gov/news/press-releases/2026/smart-path-connect-345kv-corridor-energization)
- **Tags:** NYPA, National Grid, Smart Path Connect, 345 kV Transmission, New York Grid, Autotransformers, Renewable Evacuation, USA
- **Canonical URL:** https://voltformer.com/news/nypa-national-grid-energize-smart-path-connect-345kv-renewable-transmission-corridor
- **Markdown Source:** https://voltformer.com/news/nypa-national-grid-energize-smart-path-connect-345kv-renewable-transmission-corridor.md

## Rebuilding Northern New York’s Power Backbone

Originally built in the 1940s and 1950s, the transmission circuits connecting Massena in the North Country to Marcy in the Mohawk Valley constituted one of New York State’s most severe renewable export bottlenecks. The Smart Path Connect initiative modernized and upgraded this critical pathway to double-circuit 345 kV operation.

The corridor links zero-emission generation from the Robert Moses St. Lawrence Hydroelectric Power Station and burgeoning North Country solar and wind facilities directly with central and downstate demand hubs.

## Advanced 345/230 kV Substation Autotransformers and Monopole Structures

As part of the project, five major substations—including Haverstock, Moses, and Willis—received brand-new 345/230 kV autotransformer banks equipped with low-loss core laminations, vacuum-interrupter on-load tap changers (OLTC), and online dissolved gas analysis telemetry.

Over 1,000 aging wooden H-frame structures were replaced with weathering-steel monopoles capable of withstanding extreme winter ice storms and high-wind buffeting with minimal right-of-way ground footprint.

## Advancing New York’s Climate Leadership Goals

By expanding transfer capacity by more than 1,000 MW, Smart Path Connect eliminates transmission congestion charges and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 1.16 million tons annually.

The energization represents a flagship achievement under New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), charting a clear path toward 70% renewable electricity.

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