Upgrading Our Infrastructure

O&R has made investments totaling over $1 billion over the past 10 years on electric system maintenance and reliability projects.

We have developed plans, designed and constructed to build a stronger, more resilient energy delivery system that will be powered by clean, abundant, renewable sources. Among the investments supporting these initiatives are:

Tuxedo Park Reconductoring Phase I – Tuxedo Park, NY

Orange & Rockland began work on Phase I of this project in Tuxedo Park last February 2020. It’s a significant project designed to reinforce the electric system, and to fortify it to improve resiliency and minimize storm-related service interruptions.

This project focused on upgrading nearly three miles of existing overhead conductor with higher capacity, sturdier, tree-resistant cable. Approximately 100 utility poles were replaced with new, sturdier, taller poles.

In addition, ten automated switches were installed to allow O&R’s energy control center operators to remotely respond to power outages. Those devices isolate system problems when they develop and minimize the number of customers affected by individual outages. Also, additional tree-trimming and danger tree removals were performed to prevent potential tree problems and power outages.

Tuxedo Park Reconductoring Phase II – Tuxedo Park, NY

Orange & Rockland began work on Phase II of the multi-year project in Tuxedo Park in winter 2021, designed to reinforce the village’s electric system to improve electric service resiliency and minimize storm-related service interruptions. Phase II focuses on the village’s East Lake Road corridor from Lake Stable Road to Crow’s Nest Road and will upgrade nearly two miles of existing overhead wire with higher capacity, tree-resistant cable and replacing approximately 80 utility poles with new, sturdier poles.

In addition, 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 danger tree removals will be performed to prevent potential tree interference problems and power outages.

Estimated time frame for major milestones of the project:

• Tree trimming and danger tree removals – Began January through 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

Port Jervis Substation – Port Jervis, NY

Work began in December 2019 on this $38.2 million project designed to improve electric service reliability in Port Jervis and surrounding area for approximately 7,700 customers, by replacing the existing electric substation in the city with a new, larger, modern substation.

This new facility will help O&R better serve its customers’ needs in the area. It will offer more switching options to help restore service interruptions more quickly, and it will allow O&R to better integrate renewable energy and advanced technologies onto the power grid.

Estimated time frame for major milestones of the project:

• Began removal of the substation -- December 2019
• Site preparation, grading and foundation work -- May 2020 through September 2020
• Transformers and Control Building installation -- December 2020
• Construction of electric portions of the new substation -- January 2021 through December 2021
• Energize new substation -- December 31, 2021
• Site restoration and final landscaping -- March of 2022

Ramapo Banks Replacement – Ramapo, NY

This project involved the replacement of the existing (6) single phase 345kV/138kV banks at Ramapo Substation in two sub-projects – Ramapo Bank 2300 and Ramapo Bank 1300 – both critical for the reliable and economic operation of O&R’s electric transmission system.

Each sub-project replaced three transformers with one three-phase bank. Work included the removal of the old transformers in stages, civil design and construction of new foundations and take off structures to facilitate the installation of the banks, relocation of the existing 345kV conductors and 138kV bus and new oil containment systems. Installation of the new banks were completed in 2019 and 2020.