BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — A new company to the North Country plans to establish a hydrogen fuel plant in Massena, potentially creating 90 new jobs.

Air Products has reached an agreement with the New York Power Authority to purchase 94 megawatts of low cost hydropower, which is created by hydro-electric dams on the St. Lawrence River.

"Allocations from the St. Lawrence Power Project attract large-scale community investment and deliver good-paying jobs to the North Country. In supporting Air Products' expansion, NYPA is furthering New York's aggressive climate goals and helping to advance the state's vision of becoming a regional hydrogen hub,” NYPA Vice Chairman Eugene Nicandri said.

Air Products is “an American-based global industrial gasses company in operation for more than 80 years that serves a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology and clean energy,” according to a NYPA press release.

State officials hope the state will become a regional Clean Energy Hydrogen Hub, which will play a key role in reaching the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act standards.

NYPA also approved 16 megawatts of high load power that NPA will procure for Air Products on the energy market.

Air Products’ application was reviewed under NYPA green jobs evaluation criteria, approved by trustees in Dec. 2020, allowing NYPA to consider the impact of creating green jobs in NY when evaluating economic development power applications, officials say.