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New York power
This facility is kept available as backup capacity rather than run continuously. It reported 1 MWh sent to the grid in 2024.
Air quality & health in Essex County
Essex County has a population of 36,775. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 8,577 cases in the county.
The county received a grade of C for ozone pollution. For particle pollution — the fine soot and dust that can be breathed deep into the lungs — it received a grade of A.
Federal monitoring recorded 218 days of good air quality and 50 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 4 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 46 oil-fired power plants, Harris Lake in Newcomb ranks last by electricity produced in 2024, making it the smallest in its category statewide.
This is a standby plant, meaning it exists to be available rather than to run often. It has two generators with a combined capacity (the most power it could supply at one moment) of 4.2 MW, burning distillate fuel oil, a light petroleum fuel. It began operating in 1967 and is owned by NYSEG. Its role is to be ready when called upon.
Nearby places worth exploring
Newcomb sits in the heart of the Adirondacks in Essex County, within reach of Lake Placid and the Adirondack High Peaks. Whiteface Mountain rises near Wilmington, and the Lake Champlain shoreline forms the county’s eastern edge.
Local school district
Newcomb Central School District
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* 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.
