BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- In the midst of tariffs that will impact equipment shipments necessary to complete the New York Power Authority's Smart Path Connect project, members of the Finance Committee are requesting an additional $42.8 million.

NYPA trustees have already approved $877.6 million in spending but the additional $42.8 million will ensure the project will be completed and commissioned on time, according to NYPA Vice President of Project and Construction Management Timothy Poe.

NYPA President and CEO Justin Driscoll recently told trustees and committee members the additional funds will be used for "unforeseen construction costs due to inflation" as well as supply chain issues and outage delays, among other issues.

Poe confirmed that the funding request would be the final one as NYPA moves to complete the project by June 2026.

He said the request came after NYPA officials reviewed "lessons learned" in December and January as they tried to anticipate potential issues in the future.

“This funding would cover us through those that we have the mechanism to finish this project,” Poe said.

But another monkey wrench was thrown into the mix when President Donald Trump announced resounding tariffs shortly after coming into office, a move that has left many companies and organizations scrambling to find alternative resources and suppliers.

For NYPA, that meant a potential tariff on one specific piece of equipment that is to be shipped to the United States.

Board of Trustees Chair John Koelmel clarified the matter, saying the potential impact of the tariffs may mean NYPA would not need to spend the full $42.8 million.

He said there would be no guarantee of that, however.

Smart Path Connect is a multi-faceted project that includes rebuilding approximately 45 miles of transmission eastward from Massena to the Town of Clinton, led by the New York Power Authority and rebuilding approximately 55 miles of transmission southward from Croghan to Marcy led by National Grid NY, state officials said.

The work involves construction of several new substations as well as upgrades to several existing substations.

When completed, the two Smart Path Connect segments will be connected by Smart Path, NYPA’s rebuild of the Moses to Adirondack transmission lines which was energized in 2023

The two lines will form one continuous 345 KV transmission line between Clinton and Oneida Counties, reinforcing the statewide grid and connecting economical, clean, and renewable energy into the power system including power from newly constructed and proposed renewable energy sources, state officials have said.

Like Smart Path, Smart Path Connect falls primarily within existing transmission rights-of-way in Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Lewis and Oneida counties.

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