BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

POTSDAM -- Town and Village of Potsdam officials were on hand Friday with Northern Power & Light representatives, along with Boralex officials, to announce a new community campaign to enroll town and village residents and businesses to receive clean, local and renewable hydroelectricity.

Based in Saranac Lake, NP&L specializes in offering community hydropower for National Grid customers, serving residents and businesses throughout the region.

Officials say NP&L uses a share-based model, meaning each customer receives a share of electricity from a hydro facility, with the power produced being credited on their National Grid bills each month.

According to Mayor Alexandra Jacobs-Wilke, both the town and village of Potsdam now source 100% of their electricity from local hydropower through NP&L, saving thousands of dollars each year on electricity costs, respectively.

Phase one of the project will include enrolling 10 town and village residents and businesses in the program, earning both the town and village grants from New York State projected to be $5,000.

Phase two seeks to enroll an additional 50 residential and business accounts. If successful, each municipality would have access to an additional $10,000 grant for sustainability projects.

The action would also earn the municipalities points towards both Climate Smart Communities Silver Designation and the Clean Energy Communities Program, officials say.

Both municipal officials and NP&L officials agreed that the program is a win-win for everyone involved.

While addressing attendees along the banks of the Raquette River in Ives Park, Jacobs-Wilke noted the history of Potsdam's use of hydropower since its founding.

Now with the entire village sourcing hydropower for daily operations, she said the new program is a "win-win-win" for everyone involved.

"We're going to be able to harness local, clean hydropower for the rest of our operations. Local customers, of which I am one, my family is one already, they can switch for free to ensure that they have local clean hydropower for their own power as well. For us, we get a discount on our municipal bill, saving taxpayer dollars. And we're going to get points for sustainability grants," she said.

Those points will enable the town and village to apply for larger grants for sustainable power in the future.

According to Kate Glenn, community outreach coordinator for NP & L, with enough points and customers enrolled the town and village will be eligible for future grants that can reach $100,000.

"We can direct those funds towards fantastic projects in the future," Jacobs-Wilke said.

"It's really such an easy yes...we will be taking full advantage of this incredible resource that we have right on our shores right next to us, that flows right through our village," she said.

Miller also offered his thanks to the Climate Smart Communities Task Force, who have been an invaluable partner to the town and village, he said.

"Through the committee's hard work and perseverance you have accomplished something that will benefit the village and town of Potsdam. It will also open the doors to the future for this community by being a climate smart community," he said.

Miller offered his thanks to NP&L for their efforts, saying they played a crucial role in helping the community reach their goals in implementing sustainable, renewable energy.

"The committee has brought together the village and town governments in working towards realizing the task of local hydropower for our residents. That will save taxpayers money, which will be available to all that switch at no additional cost," Miller said.

CSC Task Force Co-Chair Rose Rivezzi also touched on the program benefits, saying the involvement in NP&L in Potsdam shows both municipalities' commitment to clean energy and saving taxpayer dollars.

"Each new residential or business customer will help our town and village earn grant funds for sustainability projects while reducing our community-wide carbon footprint. This is great for everyone," she said.

Erik Bergman, Hydro Operations Manager for Boralex, said the north country's local energy source can play a key role in a sustainable future for Potsdam.

"We are proud to offer local folks clean energy that keeps their dollars local without raising their costs," he said.

Future information sessions will also be held throughout Potsdam, with the next ones being at Potsdam Pride Festival and the Potsdam Public Library Energy Workshop, both on June 8.

Following those events, a Climate Smart Communities' table will be at the Potsdam Farmers Market.

To enroll residents and businesses can visit www.npandl.com for more information.

For additional information, visit www.climatesmart.ny.gov and www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Clean-Energy-Communities .