New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Hudson River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 8,000 homes for a year.*

Air quality & health in Saratoga County

Saratoga County has a population of 238,711. Across five conditions the American Lung Association tracks — childhood asthma, adult asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease — it reports a combined 51,023 cases in the county.

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

Federal monitoring recorded 233 days of good air quality and 10 moderate days in the county over the most recent year, with 0 days 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

New York has 142 hydropower plants in this category, and the South Glens Falls Hydroelectric plant ranks #16 of 142 by 2024 electricity produced. It sits on the Hudson River at 39 River Street and has been running since 1994.

Its two generators, which are the machines that turn moving water into electricity, can together produce up to 13.8 MW, a measure of the most power it can deliver at one moment. Over the year it generated 80.4 gigawatt-hours, a unit for large amounts of electricity, which is enough for about 8,000 homes. The river’s flow does the work, with no fuel burned.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 31,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year compared with producing the same electricity from the national mix of power sources — about the same as the carbon absorbed by about 32,000 acres of forest in a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Saratoga Springs is the closest well-known destination, home to the Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and Saratoga Spa State Park. Saratoga Lake sits just outside the city, a popular spot for time on the water.

Local school district

South Glens Falls 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.