Thursday, October 8, 2026
A three-megawatt diesel generator, installed a year and a half ago, is considered the heart of the Village of Freeport’s microgrid system, a localized energy grid that can operate both connected to and independently from the traditional, larger power grid, which is a complex network that delivers electricity from power plants to consumers in the village.
Located at 220 W. Sunrise Hwy, the generator is capable of supplying power in case of an emergency to Village Hall, the police department, the fire department, and other essential buildings.
Eric Rosmarin, superintendent of the Electric Utilities, stated that this generator supplies the initial power and ensures critical services, such as emergency services and the mayor’s office, have power within 10 to 15 minutes.
Rosmarin stated that the generator is a Caterpillar unit, a major manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines. Its fuel tank holds 10,000 gallons of diesel.
This generator can be operated entirely remotely from the other side of the town.
Rosmarin highlighted the benefits of jet engine turbines, a type of reaction engine that discharges a fast-moving jet of heated gas, usually air, generating thrust through jet propulsion. Notably, they feature a small size with high power output.
While a jet engine turbine can produce 50 megawatts, a diesel engine can produce three megawatts, according to Rosmarin.
“The benefit of a jet gas turbine is the power-to-size ratio. They’re a small unit, and they generate a large amount of electricity,” said Rosmarin. “So a large amount of power, the jet engine is much, much better than this.”
According to Rosmarin, although the village can generate its electricity, it buys the electricity from the hydroelectric power of Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls is a significant source of hydroelectric power, with two primary power plants– the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant and the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Station.
“We buy power at a discounted rate because we’re a municipality, and we invested in the construction of the Niagara Falls power plant,” said Rosmarin. “So we buy it at a cheap rate, and then we also run our generators and sell power to the grid as well.”
Rosmarin described their LM6000, which was installed in 2003, as a peaking unit, a type of power plant that generally runs only when there is high demand, generating revenue during peak hours, which are usually daytime in Long Island, when electricity is expensive.
For the betterment of the village, Electric Utilities generate the LM6000 during the daytime to maximize revenue.
Rosmarin stated that the microgrid can operate independently during emergencies, as demonstrated in an emergency drill three months ago.
“Just recently, about three months ago, we ran a first test of the micro grid, and we simulated a large power failure,” said Rosmarin. “And we were able to start this unit and energize all the circuits on the micro grid, including the power plant, all the way down south, which is at the other end of the micro grid. So that was a good test.”
Rosmarin discussed the backup power source, including a 138,000-volt feed, a high voltage level used in power transmission and distribution systems, originating from the 4F substation, located a few blocks away from Sunrise Highway, and a 69,000-volt feed interconnection in Merrick.
In the event of a regional blackout or storm, Rosmarin stated that their emergency protocol is to disconnect from the grid, start generators, and activate the microgrid.
“We can also take power from there, so that is a redundant backup feed that we have for the village,” said Rosmarin. “And then, aside from that, we have all our generators, which can all be run, and all power is loaded here inside the village, in case of an emergency.”
Freeport’s power reliability is high, with a redundant control room and backup power sources like battery storage, hydrogen fuel, and other clean energy options, according to Rosmarin.
In terms of reliability, Rosmarin stated that they always maintained their rating in the upper 90s, particularly 98%-99%.
“You know, we’re always trying to stay on the cutting edge to keep ourselves sustainable,” said Rosmarin. “And also, you know, green, because we have a mandate to make clean energy. So, you know, moving forward, that’s the direction we’re looking.”
Rosmarin mentioned the ongoing construction of the new control room at Power Plant 1, which is located outside the flood zone in South Freeport.
However, the central control room is at Power Plant 2, inside the flood zone, located at Buffalo Avenue in the industrial section of South Freeport.
Rosmarin stated that the mayor and the Board of Trustees are actively involved in overseeing the operation of the Electric Department and making significant decisions.
Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy is confident that the Electric Department can restore power to essential buildings within 10 to 15 minutes in the event of an emergency and to the entire Village within an hour.
“We don’t currently have any additions or upgrades planned. The systems we have in place can handle things in an emergency,” Kennedy responded in a statement.
“Ideally, as long as procedures are followed, everything should go as planned. If there is an outage, we would first restore those emergency locations and then the entire Village, if necessary.”
“Being able to restore service is more than just convenience. It offers an added measure of security,” said Kennedy. “Security that we’ll have fire and rescue services, the ability to communicate, that medical services will be available, that people will have the electricity they need for the things we all need to do in an emergency.”
Rosmarin told the Herald that the village’s price is significantly lower than that of PSE&G, a publicly traded energy company based in Newark, New Jersey.
For more information about the Village of Freeport’s electricity, rates, electric bill, and other details, visit https://www.freeportny.gov/.
