LEWISTON (WBEN) - Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday the completion of a $460 million modernization effort at the Lewiston Pump Generating Plant and the digitization of the first of 13 hydropower turbines at the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant.
The digitization represents the first milestone of Next Generation Niagara - a $1.1 billion, 15-year program to extend the operating life of the Niagara Power Project.
"This now says we're ready, not just for the 21st Century, but beyond," said Hochul.
The Robert Moses and Lewiston Pump Generating plants, which together comprise the Niagara Power Project, have a combined net dependable capability of 2,675 megawatts, making the project the largest generating facility in the state and one of the largest in the country.
"As we look for ways to rebuild the economy and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, this modernization and digitization project allows NYPA to continue to generate clean energy, provide low-cost power to job-producing companies and accelerate New York's journey toward a clean energy future," said NYPA Chairman John Koelmel.
Hochul added that this investment will advance the state's energy goal of transitioning to 100% carbon-free by 2040.
"Together, this represents $1.6 billion of clean energy infrastructure improvements," said Hochul. "We may not live long enough to see the fruits of what we're doing here, but our children and their children will have a cleaner environment launching into the future in their lives as a result of the work that we're doing here, leaning hard into our clean energy opportunities."
