Our River Systems
The Case for Hydropower
Our Commitment
As a long-term owner-operator, Energen takes seriously its role in the communities where our plants operate.
Energen's plants and machine shop employ skilled operators, mechanics, and engineers — providing good-paying, long-term jobs in rural communities in New York and Michigan.
Our impoundments and tailraces support fishing, kayaking, and wildlife observation. We work with local stakeholders and regulators to ensure our operations are compatible with recreational use.
Unlike intermittent renewables, hydropower dispatches on demand. Our plants contribute reliable baseload capacity to regional grids, supporting grid stability for all users.
Energen follows environmental flow requirements and participates in FERC relicensing processes to ensure our facilities protect aquatic habitats and downstream ecosystems for generations to come.
Through New York's Community Distributed Generation (CDG) program, local utility customers can subscribe to receive a portion of their electricity from Energen's Lyonsdale plant — supporting local clean energy adoption.
Small hydro plants operate for a century or more. As a long-term owner-operator, Energen is committed to being a responsible, engaged community partner for the duration of each plant's operating life.
Our River Systems
About Hydropower
Hydropower has been generating electricity for over 130 years — predating solar, wind, and nuclear by decades. Small run-of-river plants like those in the Energen fleet use the natural flow of rivers to spin turbines, with minimal footprint and no fuel consumption.
Because hydropower generation doesn't depend on wind or sunlight, it provides a level of reliability that intermittent renewables cannot match — making it a uniquely valuable complement to the modern grid.
New York and Michigan have both established strong policy frameworks to support small hydropower, creating stable long-term revenue opportunities for operating plants.
Reach out to learn more about CDG subscriptions, river recreation, or relicensing processes.
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