New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Raquette River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 11,000 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in St. Lawrence County

St. Lawrence County has a population of 106,940. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 22,121 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

Five Falls is one of New York’s 142 hydropower plants in this category, and it ranks #12 of 142 by the electricity it produced in 2024. It sits in Colton, along the Raquette River, and has been running since 1955. Hydropower means the plant uses flowing river water to spin a generator, much like a water wheel connected to a dynamo.

In 2024 it produced 107.1 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a very large measure of electricity, and that is about 11,000 homes’ worth of power for a year. Its one generator has a capacity of 24.0 MW, a megawatt being the most power it can deliver at any moment. It runs on water, with no fuel burned.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 41,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as taking about 8,800 cars off the road for a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Colton sits in St. Lawrence County, where the Adirondack foothills meet the St. Lawrence River. The nearby college towns of Canton and Potsdam are home to St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton, Clarkson University, and SUNY Potsdam.

Local school district

Colton-Pierrepont 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.