Northport Power Station Improved to Protect Marine Ecosystems

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today that a new State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit requiring enhanced controls to protect aquatic life is now in effect for the Northport Power Station.

Northport Power Station's current permit allows it to withdraw over 900 million gallons of cooling water each day from Long Island Sound. Fish and other aquatic species are harmed or killed when they are drawn into the cooling system or caught on water intake screens. The new SPDES permit requires protective systems and management protocols to reduce harm to aquatic life by eighty five percent.

"National Grid will modernize the Northport Power Station in order to significantly reduce impacts to aquatic life while producing the power needed to keep Suffolk County running," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "DEC worked hard to strike the right balance for the people, businesses and marine ecosystems of Long Island."

The Northport Power Station is located on the North Shore of Long Island in Northport, Suffolk County. It has four active natural gas/oil fired steam-electric generating units that have an electric generation capacity of 1,452 megawatts.