NYPA Board of Trustees Approves Economic Development Award to Plug Power in Genesee County, Strengthening Clean Hydrogen Development in New York State
Low-Cost Hydropower Award to Create 160 Jobs in Niagara Falls
Economic Development Award to Stimulate $16 Million in Private Capital Investments in North Country
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York Power Authority Board of Trustees approved economic development awards to three firms that will spur more than $508 million in capital investments and create 205 jobs. Included among the approved items are low-cost hydropower allocations to Plug Power, a New York-headquartered hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer, for further development of its Genesee County site. The NYPA board also approved low-cost hydropower allocations to facilitate an expansion in Niagara Falls for EnerPlate, an electroplating service provider for grid-scale battery systems, and CWT, a hatching eggs producer for the global poultry industry, expanding in Watertown.
“New York’s growing clean energy infrastructure and local economic development go hand in hand,» Governor Hochul said. “The items approved today by the NYPA Board of Trustees will create good-paying jobs and spark hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in communities in Western and Northern New York.”
At today’s meeting, the NYPA board approved a 50-megawatt (MW) low-cost Niagara hydropower allocation to Plug Power, located at the Genesee County’s Science, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP), to support the firm’s $387 million green hydrogen fuel production expansion project that will lead to the creation of 19 additional jobs at the location. The firm is underway with its construction of the $290 million green hydrogen fuel production facility at the site that was announced by Governor Hochul in 2021. The expansion project will increase the capacity of the planned hydrogen production from an estimated 45 tons per day to 74 tons per day. The NYPA board also approved an additional 62 MW of High Load Factor power that NYPA will procure for Plug Power on the energy market.
The Power Authority supports Plug Power at three other locations: Slingerlands, which completed construction in January, Latham, and West Henrietta. In total, NYPA supports Plug Power with 272 MW of low-cost power, supporting more than 2,100 jobs throughout the state.
The NYPA Board of Trustees also approved a 16 MW allocation of low-cost Niagara hydropower to EnerPlate, a Niagara Falls-based company that provides electroplating services for use in the manufacturing of grid-scale battery systems. The firm will invest more than $105 million to refurbish its recently purchased 90,000 square-foot facility and procurement of equipment for electroplating—a process that produces a metal coating on substrates, or base materials such as copper or tungsten, to improve properties like electrical conductivity. The enhanced materials are used by battery manufacturers specializing in energy storage from clean sources, such as solar and wind. EnerPlate’s expansion will lead to the creation of 160 jobs in the Niagara Falls region.
Both projects directly support the state’s transition to low and zero-carbon clean energy, advancing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050, and were considered by the Power Authority under the Green Jobs Evaluation Incentive Plan approved by the NYPA board in 2020. The plan allows for the consideration of green jobs impacts when evaluating applications for NYPA power.
The NYPA board also approved 320 kilowatts of low-cost St. Lawrence hydropower to CWT, which is building a new egg hatchery in Watertown. The firm will invest $16 million in the construction of a 47,000 square-foot hatchery to support an additional product line for baby chicks. The expansion project will help CWT serve its Canadian and northeastern U.S. customers and create 26 jobs in the North Country.
New York Power Authority Acting President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “The approved power allocation to CWT will bolster New York’s agriculture sector, create 26 jobs and stimulate $16 million in private investments in Watertown. By leveraging hydropower, the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project remains a major driver of economic development for communities across the North Country.”
New York Power Authority Chairman and Buffalo Resident John R. Koelmel said, “By leveraging Niagara hydropower, the Power Authority is stimulating large-scale community investment and job growth in Western New York. Today’s hydropower allocations to Plug Power and EnerPlate support firms on the cutting-edge of clean energy solutions, advancing the goals of the State’s nation-leading climate and clean energy agenda.”
State Senator and Chair of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Kevin Parker said, “New York’s economy is on the rebound, and these economic development awards are a clear sign of that progress. I am pleased that these investments will not only bring new jobs and economic growth to our communities but will also help to advance important initiatives such as renewable energy, affordable housing, and workforce development. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have on our state’s economy for years to come.»
Assemblymember and Chair of the Energy Committee Didi Barrett said, “New York State has emerged as a leader in showing how decarbonization can spur economic development, and how we can reach our CLCPA goals while attracting new businesses and energy technologies to the state. Today’s announcement to provide low-cost power to Plug Power’s green hydrogen fuel production expansion project, EnerPlate’s grid-scale battery system production, and CWT’s egg hatchery will serve as crucial support to these quickly-evolving technologies, while at the same time create good-paying jobs in our green energy sector.”
Low-cost Niagara hydropower is available for companies within a 30-mile radius of the Power Authority’s Niagara Power Project or businesses in Chautauqua County.
Preservation Power is comprised of 490 megawatts of competitively priced hydropower generated at the St. Lawrence Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project that may be allocated to eligible businesses located in the Franklin, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties of New York State.
New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State’s nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues fostering a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.8 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.
About NYPA
NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity.