New York power

Generates renewable electricity from the Mohawk River, supporting New York communities and producing enough electricity for about 5,600 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, and Vischer Ferry in Rexford ranks #25 of them by electricity produced in 2024. It sits on the Mohawk River and uses a conventional hydroelectric design, meaning river water flowing through turbines (spinning wheels) turns generators that make electricity. The New York Power Authority owns it, and it began operating in 1924.

Its four generators have a combined capacity of 11.6 MW, the most power the plant can produce at one moment. Over 2024 it generated 55.6 gigawatt-hours, a way of counting electricity over time, which is about 5,600 homes’ worth of yearly use. Because it runs on moving water rather than burning fuel, it is a carbon-free source.

Environmental impact

Produces electricity without burning fuel, which avoids roughly 21,000 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 22,000 acres of forest in a year.*

Nearby places worth exploring

Rexford is part of Saratoga County, a short drive from Saratoga Springs, home to Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and Saratoga Spa State Park. Saratoga Lake sits just outside the city, and the Mohawk River that feeds this plant is part of the same Capital Region landscape.

Local school district

Shenendehowa 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.