Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.
Profile
New York power
Generates renewable electricity from the Grasse River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 2,500 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
The Pyrites Plant is one of 142 hydropower plants in New York, and it ranks #56 of 142 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits on the Grasse River, where flowing water turns generators (machines that convert motion into electricity). The plant began operating in 1949 and uses conventional hydroelectric technology, meaning river water spins turbines without burning anything.
In 2024 the plant generated 25.3 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a way of counting a large amount of electricity over time, which is about 2,500 homes’ worth of use. Its capacity is 8.2 MW, a megawatt being the most power it can deliver at one moment.
Environmental impact
Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 9,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as keeping about 3,800 tons of waste out of a landfill.*
Nearby places worth exploring
Pyrites sits in St. Lawrence County, in the foothills country south of 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 a short drive away. The river and the Adirondack foothills frame the county.
Local school district
Canton Central School District
Common questions
What kind of power plant is this?
Where is it?
Who runs it?
Which utility serves this area?
Is this near my ZIP code?
* 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.
