265th largest plant in New York · 6528th nationally
Lower Saranac Hydroelectric Facility is a hydroelectric power plant in New York with a nameplate capacity of 6.7 MW. It generates roughly 32.7k MWh per year — enough to power about 3,116 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 56% puts it in the middle range — running steadily but not full-time.
| Plant Name | Lower Saranac Hydroelectric Facility |
|---|---|
| Operator | Central Rivers Power Us, Llc |
| City | Plattsburgh |
| County | Clinton County |
| State | New York |
| ZIP | 12901 |
| Coordinates | 44.66940, -73.50750 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEN1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 3.2 MW | Operating | 1990 |
| GEN2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 3.2 MW | Operating | 1990 |
| GEN3 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.3 MW | Operating | 1990 |
| NERC Region | NPCC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | New York Independent System Operator |
Hydroelectric plants spin turbines using falling or flowing water — typically from a dam-impounded reservoir. They are dispatchable, long-lived, and emission-free at the point of generation, though large reservoirs can disrupt rivers and ecosystems and methane can be released from flooded vegetation.