O&R: Phase II of Tuxedo Park Project to Improve Electric Reliability
Orange & Rockland (O&R) will begin work next week in Tuxedo Park on Phase II of a significant, multi-year project designed to reinforce the village’s electric system to improve electric service resiliency and minimize storm-related service interruptions.
This project benefits the entire village. Phase II centers on the village’s East Lake Road corridor from Lake Stable Road to Crow’s Nest Road. That area includes the Village of Tuxedo Park Water Treatment Plant on Chastellux Lane. Phase II work is scheduled to begin Monday, April 19.
Phase II calls for upgrading nearly two miles of existing overhead wire with higher capacity, tree-resistant cable and replacing approximately 80 utility poles with new, sturdier poles.
Eight new switches will be installed to allow for the isolation of system problems when they develop and minimize the number of customers affected by individual outages. Also, additional tree-trimming and tree removals will be performed to prevent potential tree interference problems and power outages.
O&R Vice President of Operations Orville Cocking said, “We achieved some very strong electric service reliability results from the first phase of this project, and we expect additional outcomes from this new phase.”
Cocking added, “We’re going to follow our storm hardening playbook: stronger cable, sturdier poles, smarter technology, and more active vegetation maintenance to make Tuxedo Park’s electric service more resilient and reliable.”
O&R has secured all required public approvals and permits for this project and public officials have been briefed. Letters have gone out to community residents to inform them of the project. Weekly project meetings will be scheduled with community leaders to ensure they stay informed of the work’s progress.
The specific roads affected in Phase II of the project will include: East Lake Road, between Lake Stable Road and Crow’s Nest Road and approximately 300 feet along the side spurs of Ridge Road, Cliff Road, Acoma Road, and Crow’s Nest Road.
O&R has contracted with Haugland Energy LLC to perform all aspects of the upgrade-related work and the installation of new poles, cables, transformers, automated devices and system protection equipment. Haugland Energy will remove all old wires and coordinate with Verizon and Cablevision for the removal of the old poles. O&R will provide onsite oversight of the contractors’ activities.
Here is an estimated time frame for major steps in the project:
- Tree trimming and removals – Began January 2021. Due for completion April 2021
- Contractor mobilization – April 2021
- Setting new poles and installing new cable – Beginning May 2021
- Transferring utilities – Beginning July 2021
- Removal of old poles – Beginning October 2021
- Contractor demobilization – December 2021
The contractor crews will be performing work generally between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Traffic control flaggers, safety cones and signs will be fully deployed for workplace safety as necessary. Motorists should exercise extra caution while driving through the work area. Expect periodic traffic delays and occasional detours as the work progresses.
Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R), a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, is a regulated utility. O&R provides electric service to approximately 300,000 customers in southeastern New York State (where its franchise name is Orange & Rockland) and northern New Jersey (where it’s Rockland Electric Company) and natural gas service to approximately 130,000 customers in New York.