New York power

Generates renewable electricity from sunlight, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 2,300 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Tioga County

Tioga County has a population of 47,715. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 10,382 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

Pasto Solar in Spencer, Tioga County, is one of New York’s 567 solar plants in its category, and it ranks #18 of 567 by 2024 electricity produced. It uses solar photovoltaic technology, meaning panels that turn sunlight directly into electricity. Altus Power America Management, LLC owns it, and it began operating in 2019.

The plant has a capacity of 16.0 MW, which is the most power it can deliver at one moment. Over the year it produced 23.3 gigawatt-hours, a way of measuring total electricity over time, enough for about 2,300 homes. It sends power to the grid served by NYSEG.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 9,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as not burning about 1,000,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Spencer sits in the quiet hills of Tioga County. The riverside village of Owego on the Susquehanna River is a pleasant place for a stroll, with the Finger Lakes to the north and Binghamton a short drive east.

Local school district

Spencer-Van Etten Central 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.