New York power

Produced 347.3 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 — enough electricity for about 35,000 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Monroe County

Monroe County has a population of 748,482. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 154,303 cases in the county.

The county received a grade of B for ozone pollution. For particle pollution — the fine soot and dust that can be breathed deep into the lungs — it received a grade of D.

Federal monitoring recorded 195 days of good air quality and 72 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 7 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

Among New York’s 100 natural gas plants, RED-Rochester ranks #27 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits in Rochester, in Monroe County, and has been operating since 1954. In 2024 it produced 347.3 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a unit for large amounts of electricity, about enough to power about 35,000 homes for a year.

Its capacity is 120.8 MW, a megawatt being the most power a plant can deliver at one moment. It uses a natural gas steam turbine, which burns gas to make steam that spins a generator. It draws on Lake Ontario for water and serves the RG&E area.

Generation profile

The plant can produce 121 megawatts of electricity at once, across 7 generating units. In 2024 it produced 347.3 gigawatt-hours in total, which works out to about 33% of what it could have produced running flat out all year — the pattern of a plant that runs through much of the year.

Nearby places worth exploring

Rochester is home to the University of Rochester and RIT, and Highland Park is a well-loved green space in the city. The Lake Ontario shoreline is a short drive away, and Erie Canal villages such as Pittsford and Fairport line the canal path.

Local school district

Rochester City 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.