Con Edison’s Reliable Clean City – Idlewild Project Receives State Authorization

Today the New York State Public Service Commission voted to authorize the construction of Con Edison’s proposed Reliable Clean City - Idlewild Project in Queens. The project represents a major step forward in further facilitating a clean energy future so every New Yorker can share in the benefits of a safe, reliable, climate-resilient grid. Driven by forecasted electrification of existing medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets in the area, the project will facilitate cleaner air for local residents and catalyze progress toward the state’s goal to mitigate climate change.

“As we work towards New York’s clean energy goals, we must think more boldly about ways to serve increased demand for electricity while maintaining a reliable grid as customers transition away from fossil fuels,” said Tim Cawley, Con Edison’s chairman and chief executive. “By investing in our Reliable Clean City - Idlewild project, we are building New York’s clean energy infrastructure while creating good jobs, advancing New York’s climate goals, and ensuring that our grid remains reliable for customers in Southeast Queens for decades to come.”

The $1.2 billion investment will create two new substations and a new Springfield electric network to meet the growth in customer electricity use in Queens while enabling and providing clean energy to homes, businesses, and major transportation hubs. The project is a step in building the grid of the future, providing for continued electrification and redevelopment at downtown Jamaica, John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s bus fleet.

“As the first U.S. transportation agency to set a net-zero target for all emissions, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey welcomes Con Edison’s Reliable Clean City – Idlewild Project,” said Teresa Rizzuto, general manager of JFK International Airport. “The project will play an important role in our mission to keep the region moving in a way that’s efficient, equitable, resilient, reliable, and sustainable as we build a new world class JFK International Airport.”

“Con Edison’s Reliable Clean City – Idlewild Project will create good-paying, green jobs for skilled union workers and lift the standard of living in our region,” said Jim Shillitto, president of Local 1-2 of the Utility Workers Union of America. “This project will demonstrate utility workers’ essential role in creating a clean energy future. Our dedicated workers are at the forefront of the movement away from fossil fuels and towards renewables.”

The Reliable Clean City – Idlewild Project will enable Con Edison to accommodate new sources of renewable energy and increased demand, while maintaining its nation-leading reliability in Queens. In addition, it will provide interconnection points for energy storage and enable large clean energy resources to interconnect with the Con Edison system, which advances the State’s renewable energy goals included in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

“With numerous historic clean energy projects slated for or already in progress here in Queens, The World’s Borough is poised to lead New York State’s green revolution for years to come. Con Edison’s Reliable Clean City – Idlewild Project represents yet another step toward that cleaner, greener future for Queens, as we work to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “This project takes on even more meaning when we consider the disparate health impacts Southeast Queens residents have experienced due to climate change, pollution and other issues tied to fossil fuel usage. I look forward to working closely with Con Edison to bring this new substation online in the years to come.”

"As extreme weather events become more prevalent, and our aging utility networks become more fragile, I applaud Con Edison for its visionary commitment to a clean energy future,” said State Senator Leroy Comrie. “Projects with a future-forward focus are vital to addressing the need for better infrastructure, safety and resilience for the tens of thousands of residents and businesses that call Queens home.”

“We must be forward looking and visionary as we plan for a future powered by clean, renewable energy,” said Nantasha Williams, New York City Council Member. “Con Edison will leverage the extraordinary skills of unionized workers to produce a project full of the latest technologies and ensure that our wonderful southeast Queens region has the energy service we need.”

“Clean energy projects are a vital component of a healthier and more sustainable future, not just here in New York but for across the nation and I’m thrilled to see this type of innovate project come to Southeast Queens,” said NYC Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “As development in District 31 expands, it’s crucial that the quality of life for those in the area not decline as a result. This project is the product of collaboration between Con Edison, the public sector, organized labor and other stakeholders. I commend Con Edison and the various stakeholders for this unique project which will not only facilitate cleaner air for local residents but increase economic revenue and generate new job opportunities.”

“The Idlewild Project is a pivotal advancement in our clean energy journey and will spur innovation and economic growth for decades to come,” said Justin Rodgers, President and CEO of Greater Jamaica Development Corporation. “The project will benefit local businesses and provide a sense of environmental justice to the community, which will soon be able to have access to clean energy.”

Con Edison is committed to ensuring the local community shares in the economic benefits of the investment. It will achieve this through community engagement, workforce development, and community partnerships.

Con Edison is proud of its record of providing high quality safety standards throughout infrastructure projects to both employees and the communities we serve, and in doing so, the Idlewild construction process will move forward with worker safety and air and water quality preservation as top priorities.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $16 billion in annual revenues and $64 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam, and serves 3.6 million customers in New York City and Westchester County. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com. For energy efficiency information, visit coned.com/energyefficiency.