There’s a theory that the new owners of the canal system are interested in harnessing the run off and flow of water through the system to generate power.
Here are a few links to this great environmentally friendly concept.
Is the canal corporation about to get a new home?
Erie Canal celebrates bicentennial of work for commerce, hydropower production
https://www.canals.ny.gov/economic-benefit-report.pdf
Example of what can be done at each lock to generate power.
Here's what can be done with Lock Doors to add power generation
https://youtu.be/x6EjziXORuQ
