Case 12-T-0248 NYSEG Columbia County Transmission Project

34.5 kV ALTERNATIVE
The 34.5 kV Alternative includes a Trunk #15 tap, an interconnection 115 kV line from the tap to a new 115 34.5 kV Falls Park substation, and several 34.5 kV feeder lines to reinforce the existing 34.5 distribution system. The core facilities as described here are shown in attached map entitled "34.5 kV SYSTEM ALTERNATIVE". Main components and locations are described as follows. Trunk #15 Tap Alternative is an alternative location for an interconnection to the existing 115 kV Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Trunk #15 facility, located in the Town of Stockport. This alternative location is approximately 150 feet north of the proposed NYSEG interconnection location, and is approximately 1,275 feet north of Columbia County Route 22 (West Ghent-Stockport Road). The alternative Trunk #15 tap route runs easterly from the tap point across farm fields and forest lands for a distance of 4,800 feet to the proposed Falls Park switchyard/substation site. The Falls Park site is located in the Falls Road Industrial Park, approximately 2,000 feet west of NYS Route 9H. The substation will include transformer equipment to step voltage down from 115 kV to 34.5 kV. The four 34.5 kV feeder exit lines from the Falls Park requiring new right-of-way include the following four segments: Feeder 1: exits the proposed Falls Park substation along the southerly side of the Falls Industrial Park area, and runs southerly along the western side of Route 9H for approximately 4000 feet, crosses to the east side of Route 9H south of Old Post Road, and joins the existing 34.5 kV line; Feeder 2: exits the proposed Falls Park substation along the southerly side of the Falls Industrial Park area access road, turns south for 630 feet, crosses Route 9H and proceeds southerly along the eastern side of Route 9H for 3000 feet to the south side of County Route 22, then proceeds easterly along County Route 22 crossing Orchard Road and then proceeding south easterly along Orchard Road and George Road for approximately 6,300 feet and then joins the existing 34.5 kV line; Feeder 3: exits the proposed Falls Park substation along the northerly side of the Falls Industrial Park area access road,, turns north and crosses Falls Road, then proceeds easterly along Falls Road to Old Post Road, and then will be included in upgraded/rebuilt 34.5 kV feeder circuit located along Old Post Road and County Route 22 proceeding towards the Klinekill Substation in Chatham; Feeder 4: exits the proposed Falls Park substation along the southerly side of the Falls Industrial Park area, and runs southerly parallel to Feeder 1 along the western side of Route 9H approximately 3000 feet to the southerly side of County Route 2, turns easterly across NYS Route 9H, and then runs underground easterly along the southerly side of County Route 22 and south along Orchard Road to George Road, where it joins the existing 34.5 kV line. Additional upgrades and additions of feeder segments located at various points on the NYSEG local system are identified in the attached table entitled . A schematic of the overall 34.5 kV Alternative is attached entitled Feeder Path Schematic West Ghent Station at Industrial Park.

ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED 115kV TRANSMISSION FACILITY Alternative Segment A: This proposed alternate location is a variation on Alternate 1 as described in the NYSEG Deficiency Letter Response (and depicted there as Figure 3-3a Alternative 1). The Alternate 1A alignment would revise the centerline location of the new 115 kV facility to be upon and contiguous to the existing NYSEG right-of-way rather than making a dog-leg to either the west or east side of the existing NYSEG ROW onto residential property. This revision would avoid or minimize the intrusion into new properties not directly affected by the existing NYSEG ROW alignment; would avoid a major angle structure on the Siegel-Kline Preserve property owned by the Columbia Land Conservancy and reduce impacts to active agricultural land; and avoid a major intrusion into residential property identified by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Historic Preservation Office as individually eligible for listing on the State and National Register of Historic Preservation. This alternative may require alternative structure types and potentially re-configuration of a short section of the existing NYSEG 115 kV circuit. This alternate would involve the reconfiguration of the horizontal arrangement of the existing NYSEG Circuit #984 from H-frame structures to a vertical arrangement to reduce the width of ROW occupancy by that facility southerly of the Co. Route 21 crossing and continuing south approximately 600 feet past existing residences to the east and west of the existing NYSEG ROW. The proposed new circuit can be configured on alternative H-frame pole design (see NYSEG Exhibit 5, Profile 3 Proposed 115 kV Circuit 726) to avoid placing structures within active agricultural land at the crossing of the SiegelKline preserve. The new circuit would then revert back to the vertical single-pole configuration to fit within the existing ROW south of County Route 21 with the reconfigured single-pole circuit #984 in a ROW configuration as depicted at NYSEG Exhibit 5, Profile 1 Extension of National Grid Trunk #15. This alternative configuration would reduce the length of the corresponding segment of the NYSEG proposed facility location by approximately 250 feet, reduce the amount of wetland crossed by the proposed facility, and avoid ROW intrusion into a National Register of Historic Places eligible property at 1461 County Route 21.

Alternative Segment B: Alternate Route 1B is a variation on NYSEG Alternate 1. From a point approximately 4100 feet south of County Route 21, Alternate Route 1B turns west from the existing Circuit #984 ROW and proceeds approximately 1,920 feet west, then runs northwest for approximately 2,815 feet and turns westerly for approximately 2,175 feet, crossing Snyder Road and an unnamed tributary to North Creek, a Class C stream. The facility would then turn northwest and run approximately 1,900 feet, crossing an unnamed tributary to North Creek and County Route 22, before turning and continuing along NYSEGs proposed Alternate Route 1 alignment in a westerly direction. Alternate Route 1B can be configured to work with Alternate Route 1A, or the proposed NYSEG Alternate 2.

Staff Alternative Route 1B would reduce the length of the facility by 0.5 miles compared to NYSEGs proposed route and reduce impacts to environmental features and residential properties. Specifically, as compared to NYSEGs proposed route (NYSEG Alternative Route 2), Staff Alternative Route 1B would reduce the length of the line in designated agricultural districts, reduce the length of the line in soils classified as farmland of statewide significance, avoids bisecting the Cice property where the landowners own a building permit for a planned house, reduces visual impacts from the McCarthy property on Snyder Road, a designated eligible historic property, and avoids siting of the line in close proximity to a residence along Spook Rock Road. As compared to NYSEGs Alternative Route 1, Staffs Alternative Route 1B would avoid an approximately 1,550 foot crossing through the center of NYSDEC regulated wetland ST-21, a Class 3 wetland, avoid locating the facility over the edge of an existing pond on private property and relocate a dead end structure out of the middle of an active agricultural field that is in open view north of County Route 22. Alternative Segment C: This alternative route segment makes adjustments to the proposed NYSEG route in the area east of Letter S Road and west of Fowler Lake Road in the Town of Ghent. The alternative introduces angle points and centerline deviations up to 450 feet from the NYSEG proposed centerline. This proposed adjustment of the NYSEG centerline location makes use of forested field edges to avoid an angle structure in farmland, reduces impacts at residences at County Route 22, and provides an opportunity to avoid locating a pole structure within the area of mapped New York State Wetland ST-14. Alternative Segment D: This alternative route segment deviates from the proposed NYSEG route west of NYS Route 9H and terminates at the Alternative Falls Park Switching Station. From the proposed NYSEG route approximately 420 feet west of NYS Route 9H, Alternative Segment D runs northerly for approximately 925 feet and turns in a westerly direction for approximately 2,060 feet. This alternative then runs approximately 270 feet northwest, terminating at the Alternative Falls Park Switching Station. This alternative segment reduces the length of line in active agricultural areas, utilizes forest edge as available and shifts the location of the line onto property currently used for commercial and industrial purposes.

Alternative Trunk #15 Tap: Trunk #15 Tap Alternative is an alternative location for the interconnection to the existing 115 kV Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation Trunk #15 facility, located in the Town of Stockport. This alternative location is approximately 150 feet north of the proposed NYSEG interconnection location, and is approximately 1,275 feet north of Columbia County Route 22, the West GhentStockport Road. The alternative route runs easterly from the tap point across farm fields and forest lands for a distance of 4,800 feet to the proposed Falls Park switching station site. The Falls Park site is located in the Falls Road Industrial Park, approximately 2,000 feet west of NYS Route 9H.

ALTERNATIVE SWITCHING STATION LOCATION: Falls Park Switching Station: This alternative switching station site, located along Falls Industrial Park Road approximately 2,000 feet west of NYS Route 9H, provides the advantage of locating the switching station at an undeveloped location within an industrial site. This alternative reduces impacts to active agricultural lands and access can be achieved by making use of an existing improved roadway from NYS Route 9H. ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURE TYPES: Alternative structure types are appropriate considerations in reducing certain impacts of transmission facilities. Alternative structures types, such as steel poles at dead-end angles can preclude the need for guy-wires. Laminated wood structures can also reduce the need for guying as compared to standard wood poles. H-frame structures can generally provide longer spanning lengths than single-pole structures for clearances over farm fields, wetlands, or other resource areas. Increased single pole heights may also be effective at increasing span lengths. Detailed recommendations for alternative structures will be presented as part of direct testimony.