Power from yesterday's dams
The potential for hydroelectricity in New England is immense. There are more than 2,800 dams in the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. But only 200 of them produce electricity, many far below their full capacity. At the other 2,600 dams, water simply pours over the top, wasting the potential for efficient use of the energy thus created. In the summer of 1977, President Carter ordered the US Army Corps of Engineers to survey the capacity of existing dams. The Army engineers concluded that New England's hydroelectric output of 4.5 billion kWh per year could be more than tripled just by harnessing its smaller dams and increasing the capacity of its existing hydroelectric plants. With no new dams or lakes, there could be enough electricity to meet all the needs of a million people. A boost for the development of small dams has just come from Congress's passage of a three-part legislative package which will provide low-interest Federal loans to encourage the redevelopment of existing small dams of less than 15 MW of capacity. The possible development of sites in New England is described. The projects include the large-scale Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes project on the St. John River in Maine; a new hydroelectric project in Springfield, Vermont; The Goodrich Falls Project, New Hampshire; and a power station in Franklin, New Hampshire. Sustained periods of rainless weather can reduce the capability of hydro to supply power, but water stored behind dams can be released to create a near-instantaneous surge of power when needed for times of peak power demand. (MCW)
- OSTI ID:
- 6011327
- Journal Information:
- Environment; (United States), Vol. 20:9
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
POLICY AND ECONOMY
13 HYDRO ENERGY
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
MODIFICATIONS
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
CAPACITY
DAMS
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
MAINE
NEW HAMPSHIRE
POWER DEMAND
RAIN
WEATHER
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY SOURCES
POWER
POWER PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
296001* - Energy Planning & Policy- Electric Power Generation- (-1989)
130100 - Hydro Energy- Resources & Availability