It stands across the river from Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Power Stations in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

In 1805, Augustus and Peter Porter of Buffalo, New York, purchased the American Falls from New York in a public auction (and later acquired the rights to the eastern rapids above the falls) with a stated plan to generate power by way of a "hydraulic raceway".

The men were unable to secure funding for the project, however, each died without achieving significant progress toward their planned infrastructure.

2 opened directly in front of the original, in the gorge below the falls, with a higher 210 ft (64 m) drop and capacity of 25 MW (34,000 hp).

On June 7, 1956, water seeping into a back wall caused the collapse of two-thirds of Schoellkopf Power Station No.

During planning, it was called the Niagara Power Project; later, it was named for NYPA head Robert Moses.

This it did in 1960, through a United States Supreme Court decision, the Federal Power Commission v. Tuscarora Indian Nation.

Water in the forebay can be either pumped up into the upper reservoir for later use or immediately sent down over the escarpment downstream of the natural falls through the Robert Moses Power Station turbines.

Electricity generated in the Moses plant powers the Lewiston pumps to push water into the upper reservoir.

In addition to the lower demand for electricity at night, less water can be diverted from the river during the day because of the desire to preserve the appearance of the falls.

This allows water diverted from above Niagara Falls to pass through two sets of turbines, generating electricity both times.

[14] Subsequent testing near the Lewiston Reservoir near the project still confirms mercury and organic contamination which restricts the consumption of fish.