By Hank Russell
The three Nassau County town supervisors continued to sound the alarm on the proposed Propel NY Energy transmission project, warning that critical questions remain unanswered as the plan moves toward final approval before the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC).
The officials sent a joint letter to PSC leadership stating that, without transparency, accountability, and real protection for residents, this project cannot move forward. They also emphasized that their top priority is protecting residents — not rubber-stamping a project that could raise costs, threaten public safety, and disrupt communities.
Stating that Nassau residents already pay some of the highest utility rates in the nation, the supervisors are demanding a full cost breakdown and clear answers on who benefits from this project and argued that Nassau families should not foot the bill for infrastructure that serves other regions.
“Nassau County families are already stretched thin,” Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti said. “We will not allow them to be saddled with higher utility bills for a project that may not even benefit them. Show us the numbers, show us the plan, and prove this is fair — or it shouldn’t move forward.”
North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena expressed concern about the proposed 345-kilovolt transmission lines running through the county: an 8.9-mile line from Barrett Station in Island Park to the Uniondale Hub, a 24.5-mile line from the Uniondale Hub to the Tremont substation in the Bronx, a 9.1-mile line from the Uniondale Hub to the Shore Road substation in Glenwood Landing and two 17.7-mile lines — one from Ruland Road in Melville to Shore Road and one from Shore Road to Sprain Brook in Westchester County.
“Our residents deserve straight answers — about costs, health impacts, and safety,” DeSena said. “Until we have full transparency and independent verification, we cannot and will not support this proposal.”
Other issues the supervisors addressed in their letter to the PSC:
Whether this project is tied to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) planned for Long Island. They said local fire departments have warned of dangerous “thermal runaway” fires that are extremely difficult to control and can release toxic fumes.
The damage done to the roadways and traffic disruptions during the installation of the lines. According to the officials, history shows that utility companies often leave roads in worse shape than they found them. The supervisors are demanding that Propel NY make full curb-to-curb restorations instead of temporary fixes at the expense of the taxpayers
Whether the jobs will go to local residents. The supervisors are calling for union labor and Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) to ensure local workers benefit, not out-of-state contractors. If Nassau bears the burden, they said, Nassau should get the jobs.
“We’ve seen what happens when infrastructure projects cut corners — our roads suffer, our first responders are put at risk, and taxpayers are left picking up the pieces,” said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joe Saladino. “That’s not happening here. If this project moves forward, it must meet the highest standards while employing local labor.”
In a joint statement, the supervisors said, “We support smart energy policy — but not at the expense of our residents’ wallets, safety, or quality of life. No transparency, no accountability — no deal.”
In response, Ken Lovett, the senior communications advisor on energy and environment for Governor Kathy Hochul, stated, “Rather than politically grandstanding, these town officials would be better off talking to their fellow Republicans in Washington about lifting the illegally-imposed tariffs that are pushing up costs for everyone, finding ways to bring down gas prices at the pump that have soared since the start of the war with Iran, and stopping their assault on clean energy projects that are providing needed energy and thousands of jobs on Long Island. Governor Hochul is focused on an all-of-the-above approach to energy that will keep the lights on and costs down for New Yorkers.”
Propel NY Energy also issued a statement.
“From day one, the Propel NY team has provided transparent and fact-based information to communities,” the company said in a statement. “As we head into summer, New York is facing the lowest electricity reliability margins in recent history, with an almost 80% decline since 2022. The reality is that New York, and Long Island in particular, faces critical power reliability challenges and without Propel NY, costs will continue to rise while reliability declines. We remain fully committed to delivering Propel NY efficiently, effectively, and with robust community safeguards in place.”