New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Niagara River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 1,400,000 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Niagara County

Niagara County has a population of 209,457. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 44,812 cases in the county.

The county received a grade of B for ozone pollution. No particle pollution grade is available.

Federal monitoring recorded 240 days of good air quality and 21 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 1 day rated unhealthy for sensitive groups.

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

This is the largest hydroelectric plant in New York — the biggest of the state’s 142 water-powered facilities — and the second largest power plant of any kind in the state.

Water diverted from the Niagara River above the falls drops through turbines here, producing 14,115.1 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2024. That is roughly a year’s electricity for 1.4 million homes. The plant has been running since 1961, and unlike wind or solar it can generate day and night, because the river flows continuously.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 5,400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as taking about 1,200,000 cars off the road for a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Niagara Falls is minutes away, along with Niagara Falls State Park, which was the first state park established in the United States. The village of Lewiston below the plant has a historic riverfront, restaurants, and outdoor concerts at Artpark overlooking the gorge.

Local school district

Lewiston-Porter Central School District

Visit the district website

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.