Reliable Clean City Projects: Frequently Asked Questions

Initially, The Hub can accommodate up to 1,500 MW and can be expanded to accommodate up to 6,000 MW of offshore wind energy if developers express interest in connecting to it.

The project will cost $810 million, which includes direct construction costs of the Hub, overheads, and contingency. The site is located on land already owned by Con Edison. The cost estimate does not include the land, which is already owned by Con Edison, or any items that would be considered part of a prospective developer’s project, such as transmission cable to connect to the Hub, converter stations, land for converter stations, etc.

The Hub is a make-ready substation that will be ready for interconnection of the first offshore wind farm on day one. The building is designed for offshore wind and developers will be responsible for the cost of limited system upgrade facilities for interconnection to the Hub.

We expect the Hub to be operational in 2028.

The Hub’s design calls for an enclosed building designed to be five feet higher than the 2015 FEMA 100-year flood elevation criteria. The additional five feet meets New York City’s requirement for an additional two feet, plus an additional three feet to allow for potential climate change impacts.

The building is also designed to withstand a sustained 130 mph hurricane wind speed.

The Hub will be a brand new, three-story LEED-certified green building designed to the Waterfront Alliance’s Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines. Plans include a green roof and solar panels. The new building will replace three fossil-fuel-burning turbines that had been used to generate additional electricity in times of extreme demand, like the hottest summer days. In the future, this site will connect 100% clean energy with no emissions to help the surrounding neighborhoods breathe easier.

The new Hub will also beautify the Brooklyn waterfront, visible from Manhattan.

We estimate the multi-year engineering, design, and construction phases will create more than 500 skilled, clean energy jobs.

We recently requested an increase in 16 underground transmission splicers, 16 transmission mechanics, and four welders, among others. Once the Hub is in service, we anticipate the facility will require at least 15 incremental full-time union employees to handle ongoing maintenance, operations, and development of the facility. There are currently six full-time union employees working at the site, so this project will create a significant increase in union labor at this location.

The source will be an installation of wind turbines in the New York Bight, about 150 miles off the coast of Long Island and New Jersey.