New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Ashokan Reservoir, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 1,100 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Ulster County

Ulster County has a population of 182,333. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 39,586 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 142 hydropower plants in this category, and Ashokan, near Kingston in Ulster County, ranks #91 of 142 by 2024 electricity produced. It is a conventional hydroelectric plant, meaning it makes power from flowing water without burning anything. Water comes from Ashokan Reservoir, and the plant has been running since 1982.

Its two generators are rated at 4.6 MW. A megawatt is a unit of power, a measure of how much electricity can be made at one moment. Over 2024, the plant produced 11.2 gigawatt-hours, a unit of energy equal to a billion watt-hours, which is about 1,100 homes’ worth of electricity for a year.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 4,300 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as the carbon absorbed by about 4,500 acres of forest in a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Kingston is a Hudson River city with a lively waterfront, and the town of Woodstock sits not far away. To the south, New Paltz is home to SUNY New Paltz and sits at the edge of the Shawangunk Mountains, where Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park offer popular spots for hiking.

Local school district

Onteora 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.