Water and Tidal Power
Water Power or Hydropower
Hydropower harnesses the energy in moving water to create electricity. Hydroelectric plants produce little pollution and no greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuel or nuclear plants. There are over 200 hydroelectric projects in the state.
The major hydroelectric plants in New York State are:
- The Niagara Power Project (New York's biggest) generating 24 million kilowatts
- The St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project in Massena which generates 800,000 kilowatts
Environmental Impacts
Hydroelectric plants require high volumes of water and often substantial storage reservoirs. Operations cause large and rapid fluctuations in water levels that impact aquatic ecosystems. DEC's Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources has an Instream Habitat Protection Unit whose role is to use the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) process to mitigate the negative effects of hydroelectric plants on fish and existing hydrologic patterns.
Tidal Power/Wave Energy
Tidal power, or wave energy, is a form of hydro power that exploits the movement of water caused by tidal currents or the rise and fall in sea levels due to tides. Although not yet widely used, tidal power has potential for future electricity generation and is more predictable than wind energy and solar power and does not require dams.
The Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) project
RITE is using the first free-flow tidal turbines in the world, providing more than 1,000 kilowatt hours per day of clean, emission-free electricity to Roosevelt Island.
