The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has issued a final decision on the mid-term recertifications of the Red Bridge, Putts Bridge, Indian Orchard and Dwight hydroelectric projects on the Chicopee River in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.
All four projects are owned by Central Rivers Power MA, LLC, a subsidiary of LS Power/ Patriot Hydro, LLC.
Although the Chicopee River is only 18 miles long, its watershed is 721 square miles, the largest in Massachusetts, and the largest tributary watershed to the Connecticut River. During the Industrial Revolution, the Chicopee River became a particularly sought-after destination for hydropower, largely because it drops 260 feet over its course.
LIHI is a national, independent program that has been reviewing and certifying hydropower projects based on their environmental, recreational and cultural impacts for nearly 25 years. It was established in 1999, when electricity market deregulation was beginning to drive increased demand for “green power.” It was generally recognized that consumers were seeking power that presented few significant adverse impacts. Despite hydropower’s use of a renewable resource – water – concerns remained about hydropower’s detrimental impact on aquatic ecosystems. LIHI grew out of a collaborative effort by conservation, marketing and green power organizations to create a voluntary standard that would recognize and provide economic reinforcement to hydropower owners that develop, operate and/or improve their facilities consistent with established environmental criteria.
Red Bridge, LIHI #96, is a run-of-river facility with installed capacity of 4.5 MW and average annual generation of 12,715 MWh. Its LIHI Certificate Term runs from March 27, 2023, to March 26, 2033.
The Red Bridge Project is located in Hampden and Hampshire counties. The project was constructed in 1901 by the Ludlow Manufacturing Company. It is the upstream most of six dams on the Chicopee River. Downstream dams are the Collins Project (LIHI #88), Indian Orchard (LIHI #112), Chicopee Falls and Dwight (LIHI #170).
The project includes a dam, canal headgate house, power canal, two operating penstocks, a powerhouse with two generating units, a tailrace channel and appurtenant facilities. Two flood control dikes are located on the northeast shore of the impoundment upstream of the dam.
Putts Bridge, LIHI #102, is a run-of-river facility with installed capacity of 3.9 MW and average annual generation of 13,713 MWh. Its LIHI Certificate Term runs from December 20, 2023, to December 19, 2033.
The Putts Bridge Project is located in Hampden County. The project was constructed in 1918 by Ludlow Manufacturing.
The project includes a dam, concrete headgate structure, two conduits, forebay, trashrack, intake structure, a powerhouse with two generating units, a tailrace channel, appurtenant facilities.
Indian Orchard, LIHI #112, is a run-of-river facility with installed capacity of 3.7 MW and average annual generation of 12,700 MWh. Its LIHI Certificate Term runs from July 19, 2023, to July 18, 2033 (option to extend to July 18, 2036).
The Indian Orchard Project is located in Hampden County. The project dam and powerhouse were built circa 1896. The original equipment included horizontal waterwheels that were belt-connected to generators.
The project works include a cut-stone dam topped with 1.6-foot flashboards, a canal headgate house, a power canal, an intake structure for two operating penstocks, a powerhouse with two operating generating units, a tailrace channel and appurtenant facilities.
Dwight, LIHI #170, is a run-of-river facility with installed capacity of 1.464 MW and average annual generation of 3,493 MWh. Its LIHI Certificate Term runs from April 3, 2023, to April 2, 2033.
The Dwight Project is located in Hampden County. Most of the facilities at the project were built in the mid-1800s as part of the Dwight Manufacturing Company. The current Dwight dam was constructed in 1856. The powerhouse was built in 1920 to contain three turbines-generator units that replaced the existing hydromechanical units.
The project includes a stone masonry dam, a canal headgate house, a power canal, intake structure for three operable penstocks, a powerhouse with three operable turbines, a tailrace channel, and appurtenant facilities.
Eleven percent of all Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)-licensed and FERC-exempt facilities are LIHI Certified®. Most certified facilities have undergone at least one recertification. LIHI Certified facilities provide over 4,500 MW of capacity and generate over 16,900 GWh of electricity annually, avoiding nearly 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. LIHI Certified facilities have stewardship of over 1,000 river miles.