Orange & Rockland Utilities Announces $315M Summer Grid Upgrade Plan
Orange & Rockland Utilities, Inc. is investing $315 million in its electric system ahead of the 2026 summer season, focusing on infrastructure upgrades to improve reliability and resilience amid rising demand and extreme weather risks.
The company, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., said the investment builds on $293 million spent in 2025 and is part of more than $2 billion in grid improvements since 2016. It reported a 15% reduction in customers impacted per outage over that period.
The 2026 program includes major substation construction and upgrades, underground transmission projects, overhead line improvements, and expanded vegetation management. Key projects include a $102 million substation in Woodbury, a $65 million substation in Warwick, and a $57.8 million underground transmission line in Clarkstown, alongside additional upgrades in Orangeburg, Monsey, and Wurtsboro.
Michele O’Connell, president and CEO of Orange & Rockland, said:
“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 utility is also expanding its smart grid system, with nearly 80 new remote-operated devices planned to reduce outage impacts and improve system automation. It is continuing vegetation management efforts, targeting 2,200 hazard tree removals this year.
Orange & Rockland forecasts an average summer 2026 residential electric bill of $156.32, a 0.8% increase year-over-year, and highlighted expanded affordability programs and energy efficiency initiatives for eligible customers.
The company serves nearly one million electric customers across parts of New York and New Jersey.
Source: oru.com
