Giles Pond Hydroelectric Project, Franklin, New Hampshire

Portland, Maine (May 16, 2011) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that Hydroelectric Realty Corporation (“Applicant”) has submitted an application for certification of the Giles Pond Hydroelectric Project (“Project”). The project is located at the southern tip of Giles Pond in Franklin, New Hampshire, and it is operated as a run-of-river facility. Outflows from the project equal inflows on an instantaneous basis, and water levels above the dam are maintained at the crest of the dam and are not drawn down for the purposes of generating power. The exemptee is responsible for maintaining a continuous minimum flow of 12 cubic feet per second or the inflow to the reservoir, whichever is less, for the protection and enhancement of aquatic resources in the Salmon Brook.

     

The Project is located entirely in the City of Franklin, New Hampshire. Industrial, residential and undeveloped lands are all found in the project area. Some of the undeveloped land, close as it is to industrial and commercial use, provides some wildlife habitat. Undeveloped lands include a number of wooded areas some of which are seasonally flooded. The remainder of the area consists of low-density residential development. The project is located in the Merrimack River Basin approximately three miles above the confluence of the Pemigewasset and the Winnipesaukee Rivers. The generally south flowing Merrimack River is New England’s fifth largest river. The basin is 134 miles in length and 68 miles wide. Total drainage area is 5015 square miles. The two principal headwater streams are the Pemigwasset River (accounting for 20% of the entire drainage) and the Winnipesaukee River. These streams join in Franklin, New Hampshire to form the Merrimack. The tributary with the second largest sub-basin is the Contoocook.

The Giles Pond Project is currently owned and operated by Hydroelectric Realty Corporation, a New Hampshire S Corporation. The Giles Pond Project discharges into Salmon Brook, a 1300-foot stream which is the last minor tributary to the Pemigewasset River before its confluence with the Winnipesaukee River to form the Merrimack River three miles below the project. Historical river flows in the Pemigewasset River within the project area are 151 cfs. 

The Giles Pond Project was originally constructed in 1904 by Franklin Light & Power, a municipal electric cooperative association and was operated to provide electricity to the City of Franklin, New Hampshire. Public Service Company of New Hampshire purchased the project in 1927 and maintained the facility until the project was sold to MA Crowley Incorporated in 1956. MA Crowley, Inc. owned and operated the facility until it was sold to its current owner, Hydroelectric Realty Corporation in 1981.

On May 16, 1983 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) issued an Exemption to Hydroelectric Realty Corporation (“Hydro Realty”) authorizing the continued operation and maintenance of the Giles Pond project (FERC 7248). The project works consist of the Giles pond dam, a reservoir with a 43-acre surface area with a maximum surface elevation of 278 feet m.s.l. and a concrete powerhouse containing three Essex 125 kW generating units.

Comments in support of the Giles pond project’s exemption application were filed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, The New Hampshire Historical Preservation Office, The New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Commission, The New Hampshire Water Resources Board, and the New Hampshire Wetlands Board.  No adverse comments were received during the application process.

The project has operated successfully since initial power was generated in 1904.

 

Public Comments

We encourage public comments on this application. Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think the Giles Pond Project meets our LIHI criteria. Review the program and criteria in greater detail and then review the Giles Pond Project’s application. 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 at info@lowimpacthydro.org  with " Giles Pond Project 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 July 16, 2011 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.

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