Niagara Power Project
New York Power Authority’s Niagara Power Project VP for Project Management Patricia Lombardi, Regional Manager Harry François, Senior Program Director for Generation, Andrea Luongo, Ops Superintendent Chris Carey, Project Engineer Brad Otto, VP Corporate Communications Ethan Riegelhaupt, and Director for Community Relations Lou Paonessa.
Glorious fall weather greeted PUF's editor-in-chief and managing editor at the end of October when we arrived at New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Project to take in NYPA's huge refurbishment investment. The 1.1-billion-dollar hydroelectric plant upgrade will take place over fifteen years and we took a deep dive into what is called Next Generation Niagara.
We visited NYPA's Niagara Power Vista Visitor Center and learned the history of the prior Schoellkopf Power Station, a mighty hydroelectric plant that collapsed into the Niagara River in 1956 and led to the opportunity for NYPA to build the Niagara Power Project. The resulting Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant built in 1961 is the centerpiece of the upgrade.
We stayed in the picturesque town of Lewiston, the namesake of the Lewiston Pump Generating Plant, a hydroelectric facility that works with the Robert Moses plant. We were accompanied in the depths of both facilities by Christopher Carey, an engineer and operations superintendent who seems to know all.
Come along as we take you on our journey with the people leading the way on this incredible Next Generation Niagara project. It is fascinating.
Patricia Lombardi, VP Project Management, and Andrea Luongo, Senior Program Director Generation
PUF's Steve Mitnick: Patricia, you're responsible for projects throughout NYPA and New York state. Tell us what you do.