News

Bayonne Energy Center Project Reaches Milestone with Installation of Submarine Transmission Cable System

October 6, 2011 – ESS Group, Inc. congratulates Bayonne Energy Center, LLC (BEC) on the recent completion of its submarine electric cable installation, which will link a new 512 MW generating facility to be known as the Bayonne Energy Center in Bayonne, New Jersey to the Con Edison Gowanus Substation in Brooklyn, New York. The 6.5 mile, 345 kV AC submarine electric transmission cable, which crosses Gowanus Bay and Upper New York Bay, was manufactured by ABB and installed by Caldwell Marine International using jet plow embedment.

Payson Whitney , ESS Land Development & Engineering Practice Leader and ESS Project Manager for the BEC Project, stated, “The successful installation of the submarine cable was the result of a lot of hard work by BEC and its project team. We solved many complex routing, regulatory, navigational, and construction challenges. It is rewarding to know that our contribution will have a positive impact on New York City ’s electric system reliability.”

ESS has been involved in the project since its inception.  ESS was initially retained by the project developer in 2006 to prepare a Desktop Routing Study that evaluated potential cable landfall locations, submarine cable route alternatives, technical and regulatory constraints, and was used by the developer to make decisions regarding the viability of the project.

ESS was subsequently retained to lead project efforts for regulatory permitting, tidelands licensing, and coastal zone consistency certifications related to the submarine transmission cable system. This work entailed performing various environmental impact analyses, marine surveys, and technical studies to support project design and preparation of regulatory submissions to the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS), the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and the US Army Corps of Engineers New York District.

During installation, ESS was responsible for the environmental monitoring required by the project’s New York State permits. ESS performed real-time water quality and total suspended solids monitoring of the suspended sediment disturbance created by jetting operations, and pre- and post-construction benthic community and sediment quality monitoring.  ESS personnel served as the Independent Environmental Inspector during construction activities in New York as required by the project’s Article VII Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need.

About ESS Group, Inc.

ESS Group, Inc. is a recognized leader in the planning, design, regulatory permitting, and environmental monitoring for high voltage submarine and overland transmission systems.  Our team is comprised of scientists, engineers, and environmental specialists operating from offices in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Virginia .  ESS provides full life-cycle engineering and consulting services, with a primary focus on Energy Projects. For more information, contact the ESS Marketing Department at 781.419.7717.