New York power

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

Air quality & health in Saratoga County

Saratoga County has a population of 238,711. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 51,023 cases in the county.

The county received a grade of B for ozone pollution. No particle pollution grade is available.

Federal monitoring recorded 233 days of good air quality and 10 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 0 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 renewable energy facility

New York has 142 hydropower plants in this category, and the Fourth Branch Hydroelectric Facility in Waterford ranks #97 of 142 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits along the Mohawk River and uses conventional hydroelectric technology, which simply means river water flows through a turbine to spin a generator, much like a waterwheel.

The plant began operating in 1987 and has one generator rated at 3.3 MW (that’s its maximum output at any moment). In 2024 it produced 10.6 gigawatt-hours of electricity, enough for about 1,100 homes. It is owned by Albany Engineering Corporation, and its power reaches customers through National Grid.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 4,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as not burning about 4,200,000 pounds of coal.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Waterford sits in Saratoga County, a short drive from Saratoga Springs, home to the Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and Saratoga Spa State Park. Saratoga Lake lies just outside the city, a familiar spot for boating and summer days on the water.

Local school district

Waterford-Halfmoon Union Free 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.