New York power

Produced 24.7 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 — enough electricity for about 2,500 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Monroe County

Monroe County has a population of 748,482. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 154,303 cases in the county.

The county received a grade of B for ozone pollution. For particle pollution — the fine soot and dust that can be breathed deep into the lungs — it received a grade of D.

Federal monitoring recorded 195 days of good air quality and 72 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 7 days rated unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to certain health conditions, particularly for children and older adults. Where electricity comes from affects how much combustion pollution is produced on the grid.

These figures describe the county as a whole and are not specific to this facility. Sources: American Lung Association – State of the Air (New York); U.S. EPA Air Quality Index.

The story behind this New York power plant

New York has 100 natural gas plants in this category, and the one at the University of Rochester ranks #63 of 100 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits on the campus at 390 Elmwood Avenue and began operating in 2005.

Its technology is a natural gas steam turbine, which burns gas to make steam that spins a generator. Two generators give it a capacity of 25.4 MW, the most electricity it could produce at one moment. In 2024 it produced 24.7 gigawatt-hours, a unit of energy over time, roughly the use of about 2,500 homes.

Generation profile

The plant can produce 25 megawatts of electricity at once, across 2 generating units. In 2024 it produced 24.7 gigawatt-hours in total, which works out to about 11% of what it could have produced running flat out all year — the pattern of a plant that runs only during periods of high demand.

Nearby places worth exploring

Rochester is home to the University of Rochester and RIT, and Highland Park and the Lake Ontario shoreline are familiar local places to spend an afternoon. Erie Canal villages such as Pittsford and Fairport line the canal path, which makes for an easy walk or ride.

Local school district

Rochester City School District

Common questions

* Homes-powered and emissions comparisons are annual estimates based on national averages from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Homes powered” describes a quantity of electricity, not direct service to specific households. How we calculate this.