TOWN OF CLIFTON, New York (WWNY) – Nearly 4 years after announcing plans for a major solar project in St. Lawrence County, the state has announced who will build it.

The New York City-based CleanCapital has been chosen to build the facility at the former Benson Mines in the town of Clifton.

In its heyday, the mine was considered the largest open-pit iron ore mine in the world. It ceased mining operations in the 1970s.

According to the state, CleanCapital will build and operate the 12-megawatt solar facility, which will generate enough energy to power an estimated 3,000 homes annually.

The state describes it as one of the largest solar projects in the Adirondack Park.

It’s unclear how much the project will cost, when it will be built, and where the electricity will be sent.

7 News reached out to the state and to CleanCapital for details.

CleanCapital said it will release details, including a timeline, “as we proceed with project development.”

St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency CEO Patrick Kelly says a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement was reached in December 2023 with the town of Clifton, the Clifton-Fine Central School District and the county.

The deal calls for CleanCapital to pay $60,000 ($5,000 per megawatt) at the beginning of the PILOT. The payments will then increase by 2 percent annually during the 20-year agreement.

The project, first announced in April 2021 by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, is part of the state’s Build-Ready Program which promotes renewable energy projects on underutilized land, such as brownfields, landfills, former industrial sites, parking lots, and abandoned or existing commercial and industrial sites.

According to Kelly, CleanCapital owns and operates two solar facilities in the town of Oswegatchie.

Copyright 2025 WWNY. All rights reserved.