New York power

This facility is kept available as backup capacity rather than run continuously. It reported 21 MWh sent to the grid in 2024.

Air quality & health in Rockland County

Rockland County has a population of 340,807. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 64,981 cases in the county.

The county received a grade of C for ozone pollution. No particle pollution grade is available.

Federal monitoring recorded 226 days of good air quality and 41 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 6 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

Of New York’s 100 natural gas plants in this category, Rockland Bakery Inc. in Nanuet produced the least electricity in 2024, ranking #100 of 100 by output.

It’s a backup setup. Four generators, built around internal combustion engines (engines that burn fuel inside cylinders, much like a car’s), have been in place since 1996 and total 1.6 MW of capacity (a megawatt is a measure of how much power a plant can supply at once). Natural gas is the main fuel, with some distillate fuel oil (a light petroleum fuel) as a secondary option. A standby plant is valued for being ready when called on, not for how much it runs.

Nearby places worth exploring

Nanuet sits in Rockland County, close to the Hudson River and the town of Nyack. Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park are a short drive north, and Tappan Zee Bridge views are a familiar sight along the river.

Local school district

Clarkstown Central School District

Visit the district website

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.