New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Beaver River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 2,900 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

Of the 142 hydropower plants in New York, High Falls in Croghan ranks #43 by the electricity it produced in 2024. It sits on the Beaver River in Lewis County and has been running since 1925. Hydropower, or electricity made from moving water, spins turbines as the river flows past.

In 2024 the plant generated 29.2 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a very large unit of electricity, which is about 2,900 homes’ worth of yearly use. Its three generators can together produce up to 6.0 MW, a megawatt being a measure of how much power a plant can deliver at one moment. Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP owns it.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 11,000 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 1,300,000 gallons of gasoline.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Croghan sits in Lewis County, near the town of Lowville and the Tug Hill Plateau, with the Black River running through the county. Whetstone Gulf State Park, a short drive away, features a deep gorge with trails along its rim.

Local school district

Beaver River 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.