Orange & Rockland Utilities Investing $315M in Energy Infrastructure Upgrades
PEARL RIVER, NY—As part of its annual preparations for the warmer summer months, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. reported recently that it is investing $315 million into its energy system to ensure reliable and resilient service for customers with higher temperatures and potentially severe weather events on the horizon.
This year’s summer preparations expand on the work of summer 2025, when O&R invested $293 million into its infrastructure, further hardening systems across the service territory. Overall, O&R has invested more than $2 billion into the grid since 2016, reducing the number of customers impacted per service interruption by 15%.
Over the last two years, O&R has responded to more than 30 storms and heat events. Extreme weather continues to place a strain on infrastructure across all seasons, requiring a grid that can withstand higher temperatures and more frequent storms.
“Orange & Rockland powers the life of the Hudson Valley, serving nearly one million people across homes, businesses, hospitals, and schools,” said Michele O’Connell, O&R President and CEO. “The energy needs of our customers are changing rapidly, especially as demand continues to rise as summers grow hotter. O&R is proud of our record investments, allowing us to modernize our system to deliver cleaner energy, greater resilience, and reliable service—today and for decades to come.”
Conor Eckert, President & CEO of the Orange County Partnership said, “Reliable, available energy is the cornerstone of economic development. Companies need confidence that the infrastructure is in place to support their growth and ensure Orange County remains competitive. We appreciate our utility partners for their continued investment in the critical infrastructure that supports business expansion, attracts new employers, and strengthens our economy.”
Some of the utilities recent and ongoing major infrastructure projects include:
Orangeburg – A $24-million initiative which replaced two transformers at the Corporate Drive substation allowing the company to meet the growing electric demand in the area.
Monsey – A $4.8-million project that upgraded a transformer at the Monsey substation to meet expanding load growth and enhance reliability.
Wurtsboro – A $255,000 series of upgrades to overhead lines across Route 56 to address aging infrastructure and increase capacity to an undersized conductor.
Woodbury – Construction on a new $102-million substation on Forest Avenue began in May, which will bring additional capacity to the nearby Monroe and Harriman substations and improve reliability.
Warwick – Construction on a new $65-million substation on State School Road began this spring. Once completed, this new substation will enhance service reliability to customers in the area.
Clarkstown – A $57.8-million project to install new underground transmission lines, spanning 5.7 miles from the Burns substation to the West Nyack substation, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in early 2027.
