New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 240 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Ontario County

Ontario County has a population of 112,494. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 24,522 cases in the county.

No ozone or particle pollution grades are available for this county in the most recent report. The figures above describe how many residents live with conditions sensitive to air quality — not measured pollution levels.

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 renewable energy facility

New York has 567 solar plants in this category, and the Canandaigua Solar Array in Ontario County sits at #437 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. It’s a solar photovoltaic installation, which means panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity, with no fuel burned. It has run since 2016 and is owned by AEP Onsite Partners, LLC, serving the NYSEG area.

Its rated capacity is 2.0 MW, a megawatt being a measure of the most power a plant can deliver at one moment. Over 2024 it produced 2.4 gigawatt-hours, a unit of energy equal to the yearly electricity use of about 240 homes.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 920 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as keeping about 360 tons of waste out of a landfill.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Canandaigua sits at the north end of its namesake lake in the heart of the Finger Lakes, a region known for lake views and wineries. A short drive away is the lakeside city of Geneva, home to Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In winter, Bristol Mountain ski resort is nearby.

Local school district

Canandaigua 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.