LIHI Certificate #66 - (FERC No. (2710) Orono Hydroelectric Project, on the Stillwater Branch of the Penobscot River, Maine
Portland, Maine (January 28, 2011) - At LIHI’s January 26, 2011 meeting, the Institute’s Governing Board determined that the Orono Hydroelectric Project meets the LIHI Certification Criteria. In reaching its decision to certify the Orono Hydroelectric Project, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s Governing Board reviewed the application for certification, as well as the Application Reviewer’s report and recommendations. The Board’s vote to certify the Orono Hydroelectric Project was unanimous. LIHI certification for the Orono Hydroelectric Project is granted for 5-year term beginning on June 1, 2010 and expiring on June 1, 2015. The Board approves certification for the Orono Hydroelectric Project for five-years with the following project specific conditions:
• This certification review is based on the presumption that the final transfer of the Great Works, Veazie and Howland Projects will occur, and the fish passage protection provisions associated with that option of the Settlement Agreement will be implemented. Should the transfer not take place, and if LIHI certification is still desired, than reanalysis of the Orono Project against LIHI certification criteria, incorporating these alternative fish passage provisions must be requested / performed.
• As the installation of the new fish passage bypasses, and the potential requirement for two-week unit shutdowns to enhance downstream eel passage, will be triggered upon final closure on transfer of the Great Works, Veazie and Howland Projects to the PPRT, which is expected to occur within the term of LIHI certification, future annual status of compliance reports to LIHI must include appropriate documentation to demonstrate compliance with these requirements, in addition to other standard status reporting requirements.
• BBHP shall provide LIHI, evidence of the agencies' approval of the Species Protection Plan currently under development for the Atlantic salmon and shortnose sturgeon. This submission shall be made in timely compliance with agency approval, and in agreement with agency timelines, but no later than the date of removal of the downstream dams subject to the Settlement Agreement. Also, LIHI shall be provided a copy of any documentation required of BBHP for agency submission, confirming that required compliance activities under the Plan for the Orono project are being met.
This certification does not include modifications to the Orono Project associated with the planned development of a second powerhouse and generation capacity additions. Should such modifications receive FERC approval within the term of this LIHI certification, such changes would require submission of a new application for certification of the Orono Project in order to assess compliance of the augmented project with LIHI certification criteria.
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Portland, Maine (June 2, 2010) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that Black Bear Hydro Partners ("Applicant" or "BBHP") has submitted an application for certification of the Orono Hydroelecric Project (FERC No. 2710).
The Orono Hydroelecric Project is a run-of-river hydroelectric generating facility located on the Stillwater Branch of the Penobscot River in Orono, Maine with a gross nameplate generating capacity of 2.78 MW. The Orono Project commenced initial commercial operations in 1949, but stopped operating in 1996 due to catastrophic failure of the facility's penstock which caused the project to be shut down.
On June 25, 2004, PPL Maine LLC (predecessor to BBHP) filed an application for a new license pursuant to sections 4(e) and 15 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), for the redevelopment and operation of the 2.332-megawatt (MW) Orono Hydroelectric Project.
After the Federal Energy Commission issued a new license for the Orono Project on December 8, 2005, the Orono Project was refurbished and thereafter began commercial operation of the first two units on January 11, 2009, and the other two units on March 3, 2009. The Orono Project consists of the following facilities: (1) a 1,178-foot-long by 15-foot-high dam with a 320-foot-long spillway topped with 2.4-foot-high flashboards; (2) a 2.3-mile-long reservoir, with a surface area of 175 acres at the normal full pond; (3) 866-foot long concrete penstock (20 feet wide by 12 feet tall inside diameter) ; (4) a 40-foot-wide, 94-foot-long and 27-foot-high surge tank; (5) a powerhouse with four existing generating units with a total installed generating capacity of 2.332 MW; (6) three existing 325-foot-long transmission lines.
The Orono Hydroelectric Project is a component of the Penobscot River Restoration Agreement. The overall intent of the Agreement is to provide enhancements to the Penobscot River's environmental resources, and lower and minimize the influence of BBHP's hydroelectric projects on those resources while maintaining the levels of renewable hydropower generation from the river. This restoration effort is one of the largest river restoration projects in our nation's history. In an unprecedented collaboration, a diverse group of stakeholders are working together to restore 11 species of sea-run fish to the Penobscot River, while maintaining energy production.
Successful implementation of the project will revive not only native fisheries but social, cultural and economic traditions of New England's second largest river- the Penobscot. For a more detailed project description or other information on the project go to the bottom of this page and click on a link and either download or read the documents
PUBLIC COMMENT
We encourage public comments on each of these applications. Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think these Projects meet our LIHI criteria. Review the program and criteria in greater detail and then review the Project or Projects that you have an interest in. Your comments that are directly tied to specific LIHI criteria (flows, water quality, fish passage, etc) will be most helpful, but all comments will be considered.
Comments may be submitted to the Institute by e-mail (preferred) at info@lowimpacthydro.org with " Orono Comments " in the subject line; by fax at (206) – 984-3086; or by mail addressed to LIHI, 34 Providence Street, Portland, ME, 04103. Comments must be received at the Institute on or before 5 pm Eastern time on August 2, 2010 to be considered. All comments will be posted to the web site and the applicant will have an opportunity to respond. Any response will also be posted.