MASSENA— More than $1 million to be shared among eight North Country local governments and school districts, including St. Lawrence County, the Towns of Massena, Louisville and Waddington, the Villages of Massena and Waddington, as well as the Massena and Madrid-Waddington school districts.

The New York Power Authority announced that it is making an additional Community Enhancement tied to a provision in the 2003 St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project Relicensing Agreement that triggers payouts to local community stakeholders during years when generation is high at the Project, owned and operated by NYPA. This payment is supplemental to Community Enhancement payments of $2 million made annually to the same beneficiary communities and follows a similar high generation payment made to the community last year.

“The Power Authority is pleased to be able to share this high generation revenue with the communities that support our plants,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. “It’s gratifying to see the work that went into formulating the St. Lawrence-FDR Power project’s Relicensing Agreement is still paying dividends to the local community.”

“The addition of $1 million in revenue to support local government operations in our host communities is another one of the many benefits provided by NYPA,” Massena Town Supervisor Steve O’Shaughnessy said. “This year’s payment, combined with NYPA’s annual contributions, will continue to positively impact local budgets while funding infrastructure improvements and tax relief for our citizens.”

Today’s payment will be divided by the eight community entities following a formula previously agreed upon among the beneficiary communities, and separate from the 2003 Relicensing Agreement. This is the fifth year payment has been made under this provision in the 2003 Agreement.