Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has approved a contract between the New York Authority and the Massena Electric Department making available up to 20 megawatts of low-cost hydropower to spur economic development in St. Lawrence County.

“This contract will help make low-cost, clean power available to businesses and communities in the north country, fueling additional job growth and economic development,” Gov. Cuomo said Tuesday in news release.

Monday was the deadline for Mr. Cuomo to approve the agreement. Numerous phone calls to his office asking whether he approved the contract yielded no response Monday.

MED will be allowed to allocate low-cost power to businesses after consulting with the St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency, St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency, and the North Country Regional Economic Development Council.

The power was granted by NYPA, in part, to compensate for what officials have called a disparity in the Power Authority’s relicensing settlement with St. Lawrence County communities to operate the St. Lawrence-FDR power project in Massena and the relicensing settlement for the Niagara power project in Western New York.

The contract expires in September 2025.

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