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Hydropower

Hydropower.JPGHistory

The Niagara Power Project provides the hydropower that helped fuel Buffalo’s rise as a major manufacturing center throughout most of the 20th century. As the economy evolved and industries closed, much of the Lake Erie and Niagara River shoreline was left undeveloped and inaccessible. 

When constructed the Niagara Power Project was intended to provide a direct benefit to the host community, yet in recent years a great deal of the money derived exclusively from our unique natural resource was being pulled right out of our region.  In 2008 the New York Power Authority (NYPA) had a surplus of $309 million, 76% of which was derived from the Niagara Power Project.  Yet NYPA’s own study found that only 14% of the economic benefit from the Niagara Power Project was staying in WNY.

Fighting for WNY

We, as a community, recognized it was time to stand up for ourselves and demanded Niagara Power Project proceeds remain in WNY where they belong, rather than continuing to feed more state budget bailouts, downstate projects and wasteful spending.  Buffalo’s Lake Erie feeds the Niagara River that fuels the Niagara Power Project.   As a result, the Erie Basin is fundamental to the operation of the Niagara Power Project and without it, the Niagara Project could not exist. 

After quite a fight, in 2005 we achieved a great victory for Western New York.  With the relicensing settlement agreement, Buffalo and Erie County received $279 million from the New York Power Authority, nearly triple the original offer made by NYPA.  Through this historic deal we secured the financing necessary to transform the once desolate inner and outer harbors. 

In 2010 we negotiated an accelerated payment schedule for this settlement which provided $55 million in net new funding toward waterfront development.  With this agreement we were able to speed up the waterfront public improvements, jobs and economic progress this community deserves.