LIHI Certificate # 56 --- Loring Road Hydroelectric Project (FERC No.13400) MWRA Water Delivery System, Massachusetts
Portland, Maine (July 21, 2010) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that at their monthly meeting the Board voted unanimously to certify the Loring Road Hydroelectric Project ("Project"). The project is located on the MWRA water delivery system, Massachusetts.
In reaching its decision to certify the Loring Road 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. Because construction of the Loring Road facility is not expected to be complete until fall of 2010, LIHI certification for the Loring Road Hydroelectric Project is granted for 18 month term beginning on April 14, 2010 with the certification extended for an additional forty-two months should the applicant demonstrate to LIHI that it has complied with the conditions contained in the FERC Exemption.
5-4-10 LIHI received the following comment letter:
I am concerned about the risk of using potable water for small hydro facilities. Especially if the project is not designed prior to construction. Improper construction methods could put the entire system and the public at risk.
Dr. David Westerling, P.E.
Department of Civil Engineering
Merrimack College
meghnac@bu.edu
***
6-9-10 LIHI received the following comment from the USFWS on the Loring Road Project:
Loring Road
This is a recently FERC-permitted conduit project. Because the project has not been completed and therefore is not operational yet, we believe it is premature to determine whether it should receive LIHI certification. We recommend postponing certification until the project has been on-line for at least 6 months; if, after that operational period, MWRA provides documentation that the project has operated as permitted, then we would support LIHI certification.
Melissa Grader
Fish and Wildlife Biologist
US FWS/New England Field Office
c/o CT River Coordinator's Office
103 East Plumtree Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
413-548-8002, x124
Portland, Maine (April 14, 2010) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority ("Applicant" or "MWRA") has submitted an application for certification of the Loring Road Hydro Project.
Overview and Background: The MWRA supplies wholesale water to local water departments in 50 communities, primarily in the Boston metropolitan area. On average, MWRA supplies approximately 200 million gallons per day to its water system customers. MWRA's water comes from the Quabbin Reservoir, about 65 miles west of Boston, and the Wachusett Reservoir, about 35 miles west of Boston. Both Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs are man-made reservoirs, constructed for water supply purposes. More than 50% of the inflow into the Wachusett Reservoir is transferred from Quabbin Reservoir via the Quabbin Aqueduct/Tunnel. From Wachusett Reservoir, the Cosgrove Aqueduct conveys water to the John J. Carroll Treatment Plant (JJCWTP) in Marlborough. After treatment, water is sent eastward via the MetroWest Tunnel or Hultman Aqueduct (back-up).
Downstream of JJCWTP and close to its centers of demand, MWRA has recently constructed a new network of tanks to protect and store treated drinking water in compliance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The network of new tanks includes the Norumbega and Loring Road Covered Storage Facilities. From the tanks, water is then distributed to member communities.
The MWRA transmission system consists of over 100 miles of tunnels and aqueducts that transports water largely by gravity to points of distribution within the MWRA service area. There are three locations within this water transmission system where hydroelectric facilities are located. These include: Oakdale at the end of the Quabbin Aqueduct; the Cosgrove Intake to the Cosgrove Aqueduct, and at the Loring Road Covered Storage Facility (this facility is under construction and will become operational in fall, 2010)
Loring Road (FERC No. 13400): The Loring Road Small Conduit Hydroelectric Facility will be located in a valve chamber at the Loring Road Covered Storage Facility in Weston, Massachusetts. The hydroelectric facility, now under construction (projected completion is Fall, 2010) will generate power from fully treated potable water as it is transferred via a pipeline from one water supply storage tank in MWRA's water distribution system (Norumbega) to another storage tank (Loring Road). The Loring Road Hydroelectric Project consists of one generating unit having an installed capacity of 200 kW. The MWRA estimates that the project would have an average annual generation of 1,207,000 kW-hours that would be used on-site and any excess would be sold to a local utility. The Loring Road Hydroelectric Project is located within the MWRA's water distribution system. From Wachusett Reservoir (about 30 miles northeast of the proposed project's location), water passes through the Cosgrove Aqueduct, to a water treatment plant, and then via the MetroWest Tunnel to the Norumbega Covered Storage Reservoir. The water continues through a branch of the Metro West tunnel to a underground valve chamber at Loring Road, where it runs through pressure-reducing valves to reduce the hydraulic pressure of the water. Under typical operation, the turbine generator will replace the function of the pressure reducing valves in the first valve chamber. After valve chamber one, the water flows through a second valve chamber that directs the flows to one of two storage tanks at Loring Road. From the tanks, the water discharges into downstream water pipelines. The turbine/generator will regulate flow and provide a constant pressure, in addition to energy recovery. FERC granted a conduit exemption for the Loring Road hydroelectric facility (FERC # 13400).
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 " Loring Road 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 June 14, 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.