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- calendar_today November 14, 2026
Brooklyn Floating Power Plants Face Expansion Proposal
The proposal to expand two floating power plants near Sunset Park, Brooklyn—the Gowanus Generation Station and the Narrows Generation Station—has prompted protests from environmentalists. These facilities, both peaker plants, are designed to operate during times of peak electricity demand, but they are often criticized for their pollution levels.
AlphaGen's Expansion Plan and Industry Changes
AlphaGen, the owner of both power plants, submitted an expansion plan to Con Edison earlier this year. According to AlphaGen, the company expects its operating permit to be extended beyond 2029. The proposal has garnered heightened scrutiny following the acquisition of AlphaGen’s parent company by DigitalBridge Group, a company with a portfolio of data centers, for over $1 billion.
Environmental Response to Energy Expansion
Environmental activists are concerned that the expanded capacity could be used for growing energy-intensive data centers. State Senator Andrew Gounardes expressed opposition at a protest against the expansion, emphasizing that Sunset Park should not continue to shoulder the burden of pollution-heavy projects. He argued that technology companies should invest in cleaner energy solutions.
Santosh Nandabalan, organizing director at New York Communities for Change, echoed these concerns during a rally near the Gowanus Generation Station. Activists are calling for the complete shutdown of the peaker plants, asserting that allowing tech companies to influence the presence of gas plants would harm local residents for corporate profit.
Details of the Gowanus and Narrows Stations
The Gowanus Generation Station is a floating 260-megawatt natural gas facility located on barges in New York Harbor. It features 32 turbines distributed over four platforms. The Narrows plant, nearby, operates 16 turbines on two barges, providing 322 megawatts of peaking capacity.
AlphaGen’s proposal suggests replacing all six existing barges (at both stations) with three new, higher-capacity barges to deliver a combined output of 819 megawatts. The company claims this upgrade will cut plant emissions by over 50%, citing the need to modernize aging power infrastructure to ensure reliability as demand rises.
Grid Reliability and Regulatory Decisions
Originally, both plants were set for closure under the 2025 Peaker Rule by July of last year. However, the state grid operator decided the plants must stay open until May 2029, due to increased electricity demand from electrification and heat waves. This ruling underlines the tension between environmental goals and immediate reliability requirements for New York City's grid.
The federal government’s accountability office reports that peaker plants emit significantly more pollutants—including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particles—than continuously-running baseload plants. Their rapid activation during peak times results in lower efficiency and higher emissions.
AlphaGen's Statement on Data Centers and Future Plans
AlphaGen has stated that the current expansion proposal is not directly connected to data center operations and emphasized that a formal plan has yet to be submitted to state regulators. Spokesperson Aaron Gruen said the company intends to collaborate with government and community stakeholders if the proposal moves forward. CEO Curt Morgan highlighted the intention to use cleaner, more efficient turbines as a stepping-stone toward a zero-emissions future while balancing grid reliability.
Related coverage
Source: gothamist.com.
