NEW YORK CITY, NY — New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Emily Lloyd announced on September 16 that the department will build a new hydroelectric facility at the city’s Cannonsville Reservoir, located in Delaware County. She said the 14-megawatt facility will advance New York City’s goal of developing affordable, clean and renewable energy supplies that support economic growth while reducing the city’s overall carbon footprint. By capturing the natural force of the billions of gallons of water that are released from Cannonsville Reservoir each year, the hydroelectric facility will generate enough electricity to power roughly 6,000 homes, and it will avoid the emission of 25,620 metric tons of greenhouse gases each year—the equivalent of removing 5,400 automobiles from the road. The facility is also expected to generate approximately $2 million in revenue each year, depending on demand and the market price of electricity.

“The new hydroelectric facility at Cannonsville reservoir will utilize the natural power of New York city’s water supply system, which conveys billions of gallons of water every year by the force of gravity alone,” Lloyd said.