New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Black River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 2,300 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Lewis County

Lewis County has a population of 26,548. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 5,612 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

Black River Hydro Associates is one of New York’s 142 hydropower plants in this category, ranking #59 of 142 by the electricity it produced in 2024. Hydropower means the plant uses flowing water from the Black River to spin turbines, which are wheel-like machines that turn motion into electricity.

The plant began operating in 1984 and runs three generators, the machines that make the power. It can produce up to 5.7 MW, a megawatt being a measure of how much electricity a plant can deliver at once. In 2024 it produced 23.4 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a large unit of energy, which is about 2,300 homes’ worth of electricity for the year. The plant is owned by Central Rivers Power US, LLC.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 9,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as not burning about 1,100,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Port Layden sits in Lewis County, where the Black River runs through the landscape. Lowville and the Tug Hill Plateau are well-known local landmarks. Whetstone Gulf State Park, a short drive away, features a deep gorge with trails along its rim.

Local school district

South Lewis 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.