New City residents are protesting Orange and Rockland Utilities’ plans to build a new electric substation in their community.

A temporary substation currently sits off of South Mountain Road, and officials have plans to invest over $20 million to build a bigger one on a 10.2-acre property near the corner of North Little Tor Road by the Hackensack River.

New City Neighborhood Association president Z Halo and others have posted signs in the area protesting the utility’s plans.

"It doesn't have to be right at our location here, which is very environmentally sensitive," says Halo.

However, Orange and Rockland has already submitted prevention plans and control measures that have been approved.

“The station will be under 24-hour surveillance with cameras, and if a fire breaks out we have a containment plan that's been reviewed by fire inspectors in town," says Mike Donovan of Orange and Rockland Utilities.

Officials claim the new station is necessary to keep up with growing power demand and to prevent outages.

Halo has filed a lawsuit against the Clarkstown Zoning Board of Appeals, which could prolong the plans to build the substation.