National Grid can no longer be held to the terms of an 1899 covenant that offers free electricity to manufacturers operating on land near a hydropower station in Columbia County, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.

Citing Eagle Enters. v. Gross, 39 NY2d 505 (1976), a 5-0 panel of the Appellate Division, Third Department, held that too much has changed in 117 years in the ownership and operation of the hydro station and manufacturing facility for the covenant to still apply.