New York Power Authority Launches $1.1 Billion Program to Modernize Niagara Power Project

Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on July 31 announced the launch of a 15-year modernization and digitization program to extend the life of the Niagara Power Project, the largest source of zero-carbon electricity in the state. The program centers on the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, a 2.4-gigawatt hydroelectric plant, which began operating in 1961.

The New York Power Authority will invest  $1.1 billion in the initiative, called “Next Generation Niagara,” which will help the state achieve its carbon neutrality and clean energy goals. Legislation enacted last month requires the state’s utilities to get 70 percent of their electricity from renewable energy by 2030, up from the previous 50 percent, and transition to carbon-free power a decade later.

The new program will replace aging equipment in the plant with the latest machinery employing advanced digital technologies for optimizing the hydroelectric project’s performance. The initiative will be implemented in four phases, which include an inspection of the Robert Moses plant’s penstocks; upgrading the crane that enables mechanical work at the plant; modernizing and digitizing the control systems; constructing a new back-up control room and replacing mechanical parts that have reached the end of their useful lifespan.

The Niagara Project  directly supports more than 200,000 jobs and $17 billion in capital investments. Next Generation Niagra will be the largest capital investment in NYPA’s history.