Proctors microgrid award rises to $16.8 million as generator installation advances in Schenectady

A New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation resolution approved July 16 adds $3.5 million to the public award for the Marquee Power microgrid at Proctors in downtown Schenectady, bringing the agreement’s not-to-exceed amount to $16,799,383.40.

The funding action came as Proctors posted a July 24 photo update showing an electric generator for the microgrid being installed. The activity indicates construction progress, but it does not establish that the system has been completed, commissioned or placed into emergency service.

State agreement now totals nearly $16.8 million

The Housing Trust Fund Corporation approved an amendment to its subrecipient agreement with Proctors Arts Center and Theatre of Schenectady. The amendment increases the award by $3.5 million, from $13,299,383.40 to a new total not to exceed $16,799,383.40.

The state memorandum prepared for the board says the agreement term would run through July 1, 2027. The operative resolution adopted July 16 instead authorizes the six-month extension through July 2, 2027. The board materials therefore contain a one-day discrepancy; the resolution is the controlling action available in the published packet, while the executed amendment would provide the final contract language.

Installation is underway, but the microgrid is not confirmed operational

Proctors’ July 24 newsroom update, titled “Photos: Microgrid Updates at Proctors,” said an electric generator for the Marquee Power microgrid project was being installed at the Proctors power plant.

That update confirms visible installation activity. It does not confirm that the generator has been fully connected, tested, synchronized with the utility system or placed into service. The additional state funding also authorizes an agreement amendment; it is not a declaration that the project is complete.

What the expanded system is designed to do

The project will expand Marquee Power, an existing downtown district-energy system operated by Proctors. The state plan calls for an 850-kilowatt natural-gas-fired turbine and a 160-ton hot-water absorption chiller to provide combined cooling, heating and power.

Once completed, the facility is intended to connect with the utility distribution system and use microgrid generation to offset normal grid consumption. During a wide-scale outage, the planned system would supply Proctors with electricity and thermal services directly.

The state also says Proctors Performing Arts Center is intended to function as an emergency shelter for the surrounding community after the project is completed. The upgraded system could allow additional facilities or downtown businesses to connect in the future, but the board materials do not say that all downtown businesses are currently connected.

Why it matters for downtown Schenectady

The state memorandum cites the area’s experience during Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, when more than 24,000 homes in Schenectady County lost power for an estimated average of three days. It says electricity in the downtown district was out for close to a week, causing significant damage to the local economy.

For residents, workers, visitors and downtown businesses, the practical benefit remains conditional. The microgrid must still be completed, tested and put into operation before it can provide the planned outage protection or emergency-shelter capability. The July funding amendment and the July installation update show that the project is moving forward, but they do not establish a completion date or current emergency operating capability.

Sources

• New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation July 16, 2026 board book
• Proctors Collaborative: Photos: Microgrid Updates at Proctors
• Times Union: Proctors to get $500K for power plant upgrade