These projects will bring a combined 399 megawatts of clean renewable energy to New York's electric grid, powering the equivalent of nearly 55,000 average-sized homes, creating 210 good-paying construction jobs and offsetting approximately 350,000 tons of CO2 per year.
Department of Public Service CEO Rory M. Christian said, “These two permits demonstrate our continued commitment to building a cleaner, more affordable, and reliable electric grid for all New Yorkers. Renewable energy development creates good-paying jobs, strengthens local economies, and helps us deliver on our promise of a clean energy future.ORES Staff's rigorous, transparent review of these permitting decisions will ensure the responsible siting and construction of these facilities, while protecting the natural environment.”
Agricola Wind, located in the Towns of Scipio and Venice in Cayuga County, will contribute up to 99 MW; andFlat Creek Solar, located in the Towns of Canajoharie and Root in Montgomery County, will contribute up to 300 MW.
Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission Executive Director Zeryai Hagos said, “The permit applications for these projects were subject to robust review by ORES Staff, their host communities, the public, and other interested parties. These approvals demonstrate that New York has the tools and the commitment to advance clean energy development in a thorough, transparent, and environmentally responsible way.”
These two new permits bring the total number of large-scale solar and wind projects permitted by ORES to 32, representing 4.8 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy. Together with the 18 projects previously approved by the NYS Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment under Article 10, the statute that governed solar and wind projects over 25 MW prior to the creation of ORES, New York State has now approved a total of 50 large-scale renewable energy projects, representing more than 7 GW of clean, renewable energy.
The projects were approved after a thorough, timely, and transparent review process that included public comment periods and hearings. Per Public Service Law Article VIII, all were permitted within the required one-year timeline. Both permits include enforceable conditions governing the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the facility, ensuring full site restoration at the end of the project’s operational life.
The Agricola Wind Project, developed by Liberty Renewables, is expected to be operational in 2028, and will consist of wind turbines and associated infrastructure, including access roads, underground collection lines, and substation improvements. Construction of the facility is expected to create approximately 89 full-time construction jobs, as well as two to three long-term operations and maintenance positions. Local contractors will also be engaged for ongoing services including road repair, snow removal, and vegetation management. To support construction activities and ongoing operations, the project will improve and repair local town, county, and state roads to maintain pre-construction conditions.
Agricola Wind is also expected to deliver a total of $63 million in local investments, including payments to the Towns of Scipio and Venice, Cayuga County, the Southern Cayuga County School District, local fire districts, and participating landowners. Approximately $400,000 is expected to be distributed across the towns annually through host community agreements. Under the Public Service Commission’s host community benefit program, Agricola Wind will also provide $990,000 in utility bill credits for residents of the towns over the first 10 years of operation.
The Flat Creek Solar Project, developed by Cordelio Power, will be located across approximately 1,000 acres in the Towns of Canajoharie and Root in Montgomery County. This project will create an estimated 121 full time construction jobs and will feature single-axis tracker photovoltaic (PV) solar panels enclosed within security fencing, access roads, inverters, buried collection lines, a collection substation, a generation tie line and point of interconnection (POI) switchyard. The Facility will interconnect to the existing New York Power Authority (NYPA) 345 kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line #352 in the Town of Root.
Flat Creek Solar is expected to generate approximately $10 million in direct payments to the Towns of Canajoharie and Root over the first 20 years of operation, approximately $16.6 million in payments to the Canajoharie Central School District, and approximately $9.8 million in payments to Montgomery County. Additionally, Flat Creek Solar will provide $1.5 million in utility bill credits for residents of the towns over the first 10 years of operation, as required under the Public Service Commission's host community benefit program. Participating landowners will receive guaranteed lease payments that can help sustain and invest in continued agricultural use of remaining lands. The project is anticipated to begin operation in 2029.
