Blackstone Group’s Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission project has made allies of power producers and environmentalists.

AEP (NYSE:AEP) has reached a deal to sell more than 5,000 MW of Ohio and Indiana merchant generation to The Blackstone Group (NYSE:BX) and ArcLight Capital Partners for about $2.2 billion.

The future of the Cayuga coal-fired generator is in jeopardy following the state’s Public Service Commission’s rejection of a natural gas repowering plan.

FERC on approved the sale the same day Gov. Andrew Cuomo vowed the generators would “transition” away from coal.

The Vermont Public Service Board approved the 1,000-MW New England Clean Power Link, scheduled to be in service in 2019.