Chicago Solar Firm Buys Adirondack Hydro, Cuts Prices 5%

Families and businesses in the Adirondacks just got cleaner energy at lower prices, thanks to a partnership that's about to expand clean hydropower across the region.

Solar Simplified, a Chicago-based clean energy company, has acquired Northern Power & Light, which connects small hydroelectric facilities with customers who want carbon-free electricity. The Saranac Lake headquarters stays put, and current customers are celebrating an immediate 5% discount on their bills.

Northern Power & Light does something special. Instead of pulling electricity from the standard grid mix, it connects households and businesses directly with power from small, independently owned hydro facilities tucked into Adirondack waterways.

CEO Emmet Smith sees the acquisition as a game changer for scaling up what his team already does well. "Simply put, Solar Simplified does what we do at scale," Smith explained.

Right now, customers get their power from three local facilities: Azure Mountain Power in St. Regis Falls, Sissonville Hydro near Potsdam, and Warrensburg Hydro. Four more facilities will come online this year through new contracts, nearly doubling the network's reach.

The Ripple Effect

This deal shows how regional clean energy can grow without losing its local roots. The Saranac Lake team stays in place, serving their community while gaining resources to expand. More families get access to hydropower from their own rivers instead of distant fossil fuel plants.

Lower prices make clean energy accessible to more people, not just those who can afford premium green options. And as the network adds four more facilities, hundreds more households will have the choice to power their homes with water flowing through their own backyard mountains.

Small hydro facilities often struggle to find customers and negotiate contracts alone. This partnership gives them a stable buyer and connects them to a larger distribution network, ensuring these clean energy sources stay operational for decades.

The Adirondacks is proving that clean energy doesn't have to mean giant industrial projects. Sometimes the most sustainable solutions are the ones that work with what nature already provides, connecting neighbors to the rivers that have powered their region for generations.