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NJ TRANSIT NJ TRANSIT

MAKING NJ TRANSIT STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT

In Partnership With The Obama Administration, Governor Christie Announces NJ TRANSITGRID, A First-Of-Its Kind, Storm Resilient Power Infrastructure To Keep The Garden State On The Move

August 26, 2013

Acting on his commitment to rebuild New Jersey stronger after Superstorm Sandy, Governor Christie today announced a partnership with the Obama Administration to make the state’s infrastructure more resilient for future disasters. The State of New Jersey is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy to design NJ TransitGrid - a first-of-its-kind electrical microgrid capable of supplying highly-reliable power during storms or other times when the traditional centralized grid is compromised.

 

MAKING NJ TRANSIT MORE RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF FUTURE DISASTERS

 

Events such as Superstorm Sandy demonstrate the clear need to develop a fully-resilient baseload-powered electric infrastructure designed to fortify the public transportation network. Electrical microgrids can supply highly-reliable power during storms or other times when the traditional centralized grid is compromised. A power network of this kind would not only alleviate the social and economic impact of a major transit infrastructure-related power disruption but is also critical to facilitate emergency evacuation-related activities. This has particular value to NJ TRANSIT, which is dependent on outside grids to keep hundreds of thousands of customers on the move each day.

 

A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the United States Department of Energy, NJ TRANSIT and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to collaborate with Sandia National Laboratories to study and design a ground-breaking microgrid, entitled the NJ TRANSITGRID.

The proposed NJ TRANSITGRID could potentially increase the resiliency and reliability of NJ TRANSIT’s electrical systems. This could be accomplished via:

  • The design, construction and operation of self-generation power facilities;
  • The design, construction and operation of a new, dedicated power grid;
  • The distribution of self-generated power to NJ TRANSIT’s overhead catenary wire network;
  • The distribution of self-generated power to key NJ TRANSIT facilities.

 

NJ TRANSIT could make use of existing railroad rights-of-way to transmit this power between the generation site(s), facilities and rail lines in Jersey City, Kearny, Secaucus, Hoboken, Harrison and Newark. Railroad facilities and lines in these communities represent the most crucial – and the most vulnerable corridor within the agency’s rail system. It is anticipated that such a power network could potentially increase the resiliency and reliability of NJ TRANSIT’s electrical systems.

 

NJ TRANSIT IS ALREADY STRENGTHENING ITS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

 

NJ TRANSIT is the nation’s third-largest transportation system and serves nearly 900,000 passengers each day, and is dependent on outside electrical grids to remain operational. NJ TRANSIT is currently moving forward with a comprehensive Sandy recovery plan designed to strengthen critical infrastructure, including:  

  • Raising of critical power substations;
  • Installing nearly 600 steel catenary power poles;
  • Fortifying power production and delivery is the next step needed to support these important resiliency efforts.