Pearl River, N.Y. — Orange and Rockland Utilities announced Wednesday that it is investing $315 million into energy infrastructure upgrades and system improvements ahead of the 2026 summer season, as the utility prepares for rising electricity demand and the possibility of severe weather events across the Hudson Valley and surrounding service territory.
The investment is part of the company’s annual seasonal preparation efforts and includes projects aimed at strengthening electric reliability, modernizing aging infrastructure, and expanding capacity in areas experiencing population and commercial growth.
According to Orange and Rockland Utilities, commonly known as O&R, the company has invested more than $2 billion into its electric grid since 2016. Company officials said those investments have contributed to a 15 percent reduction in the number of customers impacted during service interruptions.
O&R serves nearly one million residents across parts of Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan counties in New York, as well as portions of northern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The utility provides electric and natural gas service to residential customers, businesses, schools, hospitals, and other facilities throughout the region.
Company officials said the latest investments build upon approximately $293 million spent during the summer of 2025 on reliability and infrastructure improvements.
Over the last two years, O&R reported responding to more than 30 storms and extreme heat events. Utility officials said increasingly frequent severe weather and rising summer temperatures are placing greater strain on energy infrastructure and increasing demand on the electric grid.
Michele O’Connell, president and CEO of O&R, said the projects are intended to improve long-term reliability while supporting future energy demands.
“Orange & Rockland powers the life of the Hudson Valley, serving nearly one million people across homes, businesses, hospitals, and schools,” O’Connell said in a statement. “The energy needs of our customers are changing rapidly, especially as demand continues to rise as summers grow hotter.”
The company said current projects include upgrades to substations, transformers, overhead power lines, underground transmission systems, and automated electric circuits designed to reduce outages and improve response times during emergencies.
Among the largest projects underway is a $102 million substation under construction on Forest Avenue in Woodbury. Work on the project began in May and is expected to provide additional electric capacity to the Monroe and Harriman substations while improving overall reliability in the surrounding area.
In Warwick, O&R has also started construction on a new $65 million substation on State School Road. The company said the project is intended to strengthen reliability for customers in that region once completed.
In Clarkstown, crews are currently working on a $57.8 million underground transmission line project stretching approximately 5.7 miles between the Burns substation and the West Nyack substation. The project is expected to continue into early 2027.
Additional infrastructure upgrades are taking place throughout the Hudson Valley.
In Orangeburg, O&R completed a $24 million initiative at the Corporate Drive substation that replaced two transformers to support growing electric demand in the area.
In Monsey, the company invested approximately $4.8 million to upgrade a transformer at the Monsey substation to accommodate expanding electrical load growth and improve system reliability.
Meanwhile, in Wurtsboro, O&R said it completed approximately $255,000 in overhead line upgrades along Route 56 to replace aging infrastructure and increase system capacity.
The company said many of the projects are focused on “hardening” the electric system against storms and extreme temperatures. This includes strengthening overhead lines, strategically placing some infrastructure underground, trimming vegetation near critical equipment, and installing automated systems capable of isolating outages more quickly.
Utility companies across New York State have increasingly focused on grid modernization projects in recent years as climate-related weather events and higher electricity usage continue to affect reliability planning.
O&R officials said the investments are also intended to support New York’s broader transition toward cleaner energy technologies while maintaining dependable electric service during periods of high demand.
