ABL wins MWS role for US-Canada subsea cable project

Norway’s ABL, part of Oslo-listed energy and marine consultancy ABL Group, has been selected by Blackstone-owned Transmission Developers to provide marine warranty survey (MWS) services for the transport and installation (T&I) of subsea cable segments of the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) project.

According to ABL, the 339-mile (approximately 545 kilometers) high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line will deliver hydropower from Canada to New York City, supplying up to 1,250 MW capacity or roughly 20% of NYC’s electricity needs.

Of the total cable length, 193 miles (310 kilometers) will be installed underwater in Lake Champlain, the Hudson River, and the Harlem River. The remaining 146 miles (235 kilometers) are terrestrial. Installation is ongoing through 2024-2025.

Once operational, CHPE is expected to be the longest fully buried transmission line in the U.S.

ABL’s scope includes technical review and approval of procedural documents, drawings, and calculations. It also covers equipment suitability surveys, dynamic positioning (DP) trials where required, and on-site verification of all warranted marine operations.

The project is being led by ABL’s U.S. team, with support from offices in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Canada, Brazil, and South Korea.

“This is an important energy transition project for the USA and Canada. ABL has both the marine and engineering expertise, backed by our company’s wider global track-record of subsea interconnector T&I, to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of this project,” said Nicolas Cazares, Managing Director of ABL in the Americas.

“Furthermore, it is a privilege to lend our expertise to support a project that will significantly drive electrification and renewable energy distribution in New York.” 

In February, CHPE opened the third request for proposals (RFP) for its fund that aims to support New Yorkers looking for careers in the green economy.

The CHPE project broke ground on the transmission line in November 2022 in Whitehall and on the Astoria converter site in September 2023, while the HVDC cable run was installed underground in January 2024. Upon arrival from Sweden to New York, the Atalanti cable laying vessel (CLV) embarked on an assignment that Asso.subsea inked with NKT for the transportation, installation, and burial of the cable system along a portion of the Hudson River.

The project will provide $3.5 billion in economic benefits to New Yorkers and create approximately 1,400 jobs during construction, with a commitment to use union labor.

In recent months, ABL has continued to expand its global presence and portfolio. In February, the company established operations in Namibia to support the local oil and gas sector as well as the country’s broader energy transition.