Greenwire: Power companies have found a simple and relatively noncontroversial solution to the need for high-voltage transmission lines to transmit wind energy: They are putting the lines under water, with virtually no public reaction and little opposition from environmentalists.
Recent studies show that to generate 20 percent of the United States’ electricity with wind, there would need to be up to 22,000 miles of power lines, but many balked at the idea of adding towers and cutting down trees for the wires. However, a recent series of underwater projects has drawn enthusiasm even from environmental groups, who say the lines are a good way to serve the United States with more renewable power.
While underwater lines are cheaper than burying cables on land, they still cost more than building transmission towers. The projects are also limited by the availability of rivers and lakes. Developers note that most rivers run north or south, while power needs to move east and west.
Toronto-based Transmission Developers is proposing to use the Hudson River for an ambitious underwater cable project that would run 370 miles between Lake Champlain and New York City, extending into Connecticut. The cable would be one of the largest in the world and would bring hydroelectricity to New York City, where overhead power lines have not been built in 20 years (Matthew L. Wald, New York Times, March 16). – JP