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Profile
New York power
Produced 87.1 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 — enough electricity for about 8,700 homes for a year.*
Air quality & health in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County has a population of 159,305. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 32,994 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 power plant
New York has 100 natural gas plants in this category, and Castleton Energy Center in Rensselaer County ranks #39 of 100 by 2024 electricity produced. It began operating in 1992 and is owned by Fortistar Castleton Power. It uses a combined cycle design, meaning it captures the hot exhaust from burning gas to make extra steam and squeeze more power from the same fuel.
In 2024 the plant generated 87.1 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a very large measure of electricity, which is about 8,700 homes’ worth of yearly use. Its two generators can produce up to 72.0 MW, a megawatt being the rate at which a plant can deliver power at its peak. It draws water from the Moordener Kill.
Generation profile
The plant can produce 72 megawatts of electricity at once, across 2 generating units. In 2024 it produced 87.1 gigawatt-hours in total, which works out to about 14% of what it could have produced running flat out all year — the pattern of a plant that runs only during periods of high demand.
Nearby places worth exploring
Castleton sits along the Hudson River, a short drive from Troy, home to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Out in the eastern hills, Grafton Lakes State Park offers ponds and trails for walking and relaxing.
Local school district
Schodack 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.
