New York Regulators Approve 387 Megawatts of Renewable Projects

The New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission on Sept. 24 approved siting permits for two major renewable energy projects, which have a combined capacity of 387 megawatts. Together, the projects, Rich Road Solar Energy Center in St. Lawrence County and the Prattsburgh Wind project in Steuben County, have the potential to power about 123,000 households.

The Rich Road Solar project, located in Canton, St. Lawrence County, is a 240-megawatt solar farm that could power 61,000 households. A 20-megawatt battery energy storage system will complement the solar farm, providing a more resilient energy supply. EDF Renewables, the project developer, aims to begin construction in 2026, with operations starting in 2027.

The Prattsburgh Wind project, developed by Terra-Gen in Steuben County, will feature 36 wind turbines across a 53-acre site, with a total capacity of 147 megawatts – enough to power approximately 62,000 households.

To date, the office has approved 18 renewable energy projects totaling 2.7 gigawatts over the past three years. These projects are integral to New York’s efforts to meet its goal of generating 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, a requirement set by the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The state’s 2023 Clean Energy Standard Biennial Review indicated that New York would need to address a a shortfall of 42,145 gigawatt-hours in renewable energy generation to meet its targets. In 2022, only 25 percent of New York’s electricity came from renewable sources. The report emphasizes the need to accelerate the development of solar and wind projects to address this gap.