PEARL RIVER- The utility serving much of the Hudson Valley is ramping up major infrastructure work this year, with Orange and Rockland Utilities announcing a $315 million investment aimed at improving system reliability ahead of expected summer heat and severe weather.
Company officials say the investment is part of a long-term effort to modernize the electric grid, strengthen resilience, and reduce service disruptions as demand for power continues to rise during increasingly hot summers.
The latest spending builds on $293 million invested in 2025, and brings O&R’s total grid investment to more than $2 billion since 2016. According to the company, those upgrades have already reduced the number of customers affected by outages by about 15 percent.
“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.”
As part of this year’s work, crews are replacing and upgrading equipment, building automated circuits designed to reduce outages, placing select systems underground, reinforcing overhead lines, and expanding vegetation management efforts in key areas.
One such project under construction in Warwick will soon mean a $65 million substation on State School Road.
Company officials say these investments are part of a broader strategy to prepare the grid for future energy demands while maintaining reliability during extreme weather events that continue to challenge the system.
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