New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Raquette River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 1,400 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in St. Lawrence County

St. Lawrence County has a population of 106,940. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 22,121 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 New York’s 142 hydropower plants in this category, Piercefield ranks #77 by electricity produced in 2024, placing it right in the middle of the pack. It sits on the Raquette River, which supplies the flowing water that turns its turbines (the spinning wheels that capture the water’s motion). The plant began operating in 1924 and is owned by Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP.

In 2024 it produced 13.8 gigawatt-hours (a gigawatt-hour is a large block of electricity), which is about 1,400 homes’ worth of power. Its three generators (machines that turn spinning motion into electricity) have a combined capacity of 2.7 MW (megawatts, the most power it can deliver at one moment), roughly the needs of about 1,400 homes.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 5,300 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as taking about 1,100 cars off the road for a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Piercefield sits in St. Lawrence County, a part of northern New York where the Adirondack foothills meet the St. Lawrence River. The college towns of Canton, home to St. Lawrence University and SUNY Canton, and Potsdam, home to Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam, are both in the county.

Local school district

Tupper Lake 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.