New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Raquette River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 11,000 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

Rainbow Falls Hydro is one of New York’s 142 hydropower plants in this category, and it ranks #11 of 142 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits on the Raquette River in Parishville, where flowing water turns a turbine, a spinning wheel that drives a generator, the machine that makes electricity. The plant began operating in 1956 and has one generator.

In 2024 it produced 108.7 gigawatt-hours, a gigawatt-hour being a very large unit of electricity, which is about 11,000 homes’ worth for a year. Its capacity, the most power it can make at one moment, is 25.0 MW, a megawatt being a measure of that instant power. Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP owns it. It burns no fuel, so its power is carbon-free.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 42,000 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 using about 100,000 barrels of oil.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Parishville sits in St. Lawrence County, where the Adirondack foothills rise to the south and the St. Lawrence River runs along the northern edge. Nearby Canton is home to St. Lawrence University and SUNY Canton, while Potsdam is home to Clarkson University and SUNY Potsdam. Both college towns make easy day trips.

Local school district

Colton-Pierrepont 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.