Martinsville Hydroelectric Project, Lull Brook, Hartland, Vermont

Portland, Maine (April 30, 2011) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that Martinsville Hydro Corp has submitted an Application for LIHI Certification for the Martinsville Hydroelectric Project  (“Project”). 

Since 1985, Martinsville Hydro has operated this 250 kW, run of river facility on Lull Brook in the Village of Hartland, Vermont. The project was issued a 401 Water Quality Certification on November 28, 1983 and a 50 year FERC License (7373-VT) on December, 8 1984. These same standards remain in effect today, have not been amended nor is there any proposed or ongoing action to alter them.

The project lies on a long and narrow 3-acre property along the easterly side of Vermont Route 5 and is wedged in a steeply sided, rocky gorge. The first mill was located here in 1767. The drainage area at the project is 21 square miles and the net head of the site is 98-feet. Water is conveyed from a small concrete gravity dam via penstock to the powerhouse that contains two twin generating units. The maximum hydraulic capacity of the turbines is 48 cfs.

The minimum bypass flow release, as determined by USFWS and Vermont Division of Water Quality, is 2 cfs, passed by a low level notch and a submerged orifice. Martinsville has regularly filed its annual minimum flow report to the NY FERC Regional Office certifying compliance with its minimum flow standards.

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