The next time you switch on your lights, a few of the electrons may be coming from a Fulton County sewer plant that is processing wastewater left over from yogurt.

Last month, the Gloversville-Johnstown plant became the first facility in the state to begin shipping electricity to the grid as part of a $7.2 million project meant to take on more waste from the nearby Fage USA yogurt plant.

National Grid Regional Director Bill Flaherty speaks during a news conference at Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Facility’s newly upgraded waste water to energy facility, upper left, Thursday Oct. 8, 2015 in Johnstown, NY. (John Carl D’Annibale / Times Union)

On Thursday, officials gathered to show off the expanded co-generation plant, which uses the biogas to power three, 500-horsepower engines. The engines power turbines that produce electricity.

The plant has been making electricity since the 1990s, but until now, did not make enough to cover its own energy needs, said Acting Manager Tyler Masick. A third engine was added under the expansion, supported by National Grid, the state, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the county.

Fage yogurt, made in New York State, may be helping out the next time you flick on a light switch. That’s because a Fulton County sewer plant is processing the wastewater from the leftover yogurt to produce electricity. Click through the slideshow to learn about a few other products that are (or were) made in New York. (John Carl D’Annibale / Times Union)

Now, the one-megawatt plant can make more power than it needs, and is expected to earn revenue from feeding 2 million kilowatt-hours a year back into the grid. That is enough to cover the energy needs for 200 homes for a year.

At present rates, the power also could mean $90,000 a year in revenue for the plant, which will help support the operation and maintenance of the equipment, Masick said.

Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Facility’s Tyler Masick speaks during a news conference at their newly upgraded waste water to energy facility, upper left, Thursday Oct. 8, 2015 in Johnstown, NY. (John Carl D’Annibale / Times Union)

The expansion also tripled the plant’s processing capacity, enabling Fage, already the plant’s largest single customer, to invest $150 million to expand its yogurt making. That means 150 new jobs to the local economy and more waste to feed into the power plant. The nearby Euphrates Cheese Co., which makes feta, can grow as well.

“It is a win for local industry growth, a win for Fulton County economic development and a win for the treatment facility’s environmental impact,” Masick said. The project also will have no impact on sewer rates, which have been stable for several years, he added. The county invested $3 million in the upgrade, combined with $2 million from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, $1 million from the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council, $750,000 from HUD and $500,000 from National Grid.

Generators inside Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Facility’s newly upgraded waste water to energy facility Thursday Oct. 8, 2015 in Johnstown, NY. (John Carl D’Annibale / Times Union)

“Helping the treatment facility to expand its capacity in an environmentally responsible way will help Fage and others bring more jobs and growth to the community,” said Bill Flaherty, regional director of National Grid.

That gas is then fed into three American-made Caterpillar engines, which power the turbines used to make the electricity. During the tour, the three engines were roaring away, each producing about 350 kilowatts of power.

And one number on a computer display that monitors plant operations certainly has to please town officials — the plant was not using all the power, and at that point, was selling about 290 kilowatts back into the grid.

Empire State Development Regional Director Ken Tompkins said Fage was a “welcome boon to our dairy industry … the new wastewater treatment facility will also enable the establishment and growth of other new employers in the Gloversville and Johnstown areas.”

Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Facility’s newly upgraded waste water to energy facility Thursday Oct. 8, 2015 in Johnstown, NY. (John Carl D’Annibale / Times Union)

Yogurt wastewater is pumped directly from the Fage plant into the sewer plant, where a process called “contact adsorption settling thickening” concentrates the waste, which is then placed in an anaerobic digester, which allows production of a combustible biogas.

bnearing@timesunion.com • 518-454-5094 • @Bnearing10

Additional news stories on this topic:

Fage Yogurt helps export power to National Grid-WNYT.com

Johnstown: One Company’s Trash is Someone Else’s Energy – TWC News

Gloversville-Johnstown water facility gets grant – News10ABC

In France Even the Power Plants Run on Cheese – The Daily Good

France Has a Power Plant Fueled by Cheese – Smithsonian

The FAGE USA yogurt plant in Johnstown Thursday Oct. 8, 2015 in Johnstown, NY. (John Carl D’Annibale / Times Union)