How Trump’s Tariffs May Hit Home For NYC’s Renewables

The Champlain Hudson Power Express is 50% complete. Will recent Tariff Threats Stop It In Its Tracks?

Construction progress of an underground portion of the power line, which runs from Quebec to Astoria, Queens. Credit: NS Energy

36,827,313: that's how many tons of CO2 New York State would avoid emitting over ten years once the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE), a high-voltage power line carrying hydroelectricity from Québec to Queens, is operational. 

Québec generates almost all of its electricity from hydropower, a renewable energy source that harnesses the kinetic energy of moving water. Thanks to companies like Hydro-Québec, whose generators will supply the CHPE’s power, the Canadian province makes enough renewable energy to sell surplus electricity to states like New York. 

The 339-mile long power line’s construction started in 2023 and is 50% complete, said a source close to the project. It would provide 20% of New York City’s electricity and is a significant step towards the state’s 2040 goal of 100% carbon-free electricity. 

“Decarbonization is a challenge in a densely populated area like the Eastern seaboard, but power lines that conduct renewable energy are among [our best solutions],” says Dharik Mallapragada, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NYU.

Portions of the power line will be submerged four feet underwater in Lake Champlain, and six feet below the surface of the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers. Credit: NS Energy

It was unclear whether the Trump’s administration’s proposed 10% tariffs on Canadian energy would include hydroelectricity. Though past International Trade Commission rulings suggest it would remain untouched, only time will tell whether Trump’s mercurial tax orders will impact the project.

“Because the [tariff] was poorly defined, it’s hard to say what will happen, but we are on track for a May 2026 completion,” said a CHPE spokesperson.