Queens locals get closer look at plans to make NYC’s largest power plant ‘green’

As the city’s largest power plant plans to go green, nearby residents say seeing the project through would be a breath of fresh air.

Sitting on the East River waterfront in Long Island City, the Ravenswood Generating Station, nicknamed “Big Allis,” has long powered at least 20% of the city’s energy needs primarily by burning natural gas and fuel oil — energy sources that put it at odds with the city and state’s goals of going green. Blocks away from the facility at the Queensbridge Houses on Wednesday, locals had a chance to speak with company representatives hoping to transform it into a renewable energy powerhouse at an outreach event hosted inside the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement building.

The power plant’s owner, Rise Light & Power, announced a plan to transition the energy center to 100% renewable energy last year. Since then, Attentive Energy One — a joint venture between Rise Light & Power and French energy giant TotalEnergies — has submitted proposals to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build an offshore wind farm that would connect directly to the site in Queens, replacing one of the smokestacks.

Rise Light & Power. CEO Clint Plummer told Gothamist the company remains committed to incorporating community input into the plans.

“The vision for Renewable Ravenswood was born out of community input and this forum allows us to continue to engage the community as we refine our plans and move forward,” Plummer said. “Transforming Ravenswood is a partnership with the community and we are very excited about the progress we are making together.”

The event was set up like a science fair, with posters explaining different aspects of the plan and company leaders associated with each part walking residents through it. Vanessa Jones-Hall, a…