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Saranac Lake based Northern Power & Light, Inc. has gained approval to operate under a new program created by New York State that allows electric customers to purchase a share of the electricity from a small renewable generator.
The company operates a a 700 kW hydroelectric plant, Azure Mountain Power, in St Regis Falls.
As generators under the program produce power, it creates a credit on the customer’s utility bill, similar to rooftop solar. Small renewable energy generators like NP&L then collect for the value of the credits on behalf of the generator. The total cost to the customer stays the same (barring standard PSC approved National Grid rate hikes).
Companies like NP&L hope that local residents will make the switch in order to support local renewable power producers. The first customers under the new program include Paul Smith’s College, the ADK Riverside Tavern in St Regis Falls, and The Village Mercantile and BluSeed Studios in Saranac Lake, along with local residents.
NP&L estimates it will take about 200 homes to take all of the output from Azure Mountain Power, and anyone in National Grid service can participate. Residents can sign up or find out more here, or by calling (518) 293-4075.
Photo of Azure Mountain Power in St Regis Falls by Samuel H. Bailey.
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Nice to see green energy being produced and used in the Falls. In the end though, as long as it keeps the ADK Riverside’s beer cold, they could burn whale oil to generate electricity and I would be ok with it..
William,
The old-timers harvested lake ice to keep things cold (talk about renewable resources!) but probably weren’t too particular about their beer temperature – it was welcomed in any form! Breweries often stored keg/barrel beer in caves to keep it cool until shipping, and bars stored it in cool basements. But there is nothing better than an ice-cold pilsener on a hot day in my book!
Emmett, Everette’s son is run ning this program. Everette like me are getting up in age. Anything to save a buck is worth investigating.
SRF
Does it effect water temperature ?