Global InformationCovanta Hempstead information
| Covanta Hempstead | |
|---|---|
 The Covanta Hempstead plant towers over the Meadowbrook State Parkway in 2021 | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Uniondale, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°44′20″N 73°35′24″W / 40.73889°N 73.59000°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | |
| Commission date | 1989 |
| Operator(s) | Covanta |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 78.6 MW |
| Annual net output | 593.7 GW·h |
| External links | |
| Website | Official website |
Covanta Hempstead is a waste-to-energy plant in Uniondale, New York operated by Covanta. It is the tallest structure in Nassau County, and the fourth largest power generation facility on Long Island by net energy generated.
The original plant on the site opened in 1979 on land formerly part of Mitchel Air Force Base. It used an untested wet refuse-derived fuel process, and operated only for about a year before it was shut down due to mechanical failures, labor and payment disputes, unpleasant odors that could be smelled two miles (3.2 km) away, and concerns about toxic dioxin emissions.
After the original operator defaulted on its bonds, the plant was sold, demolished, and rebuilt as a new plant using a traditional dry process, opening in 1989.