BERLIN — The relicensing of the eight hydroelectric plants on the stretch of the Androscoggin River between Berlin and Shelburne is methodically moving forward.
Back in 2019, Great Lakes Hydro America and Central Rivers Power NH filed notices of intent with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to file for new licenses. FERC oversees licensing of all non-federal hydro-electric power projects.
kAm(9:=6 E96C6 2C6 EH@ D6A2C2E6 @H?6CD[ ut#r 564:565 E@ EC62E E96 6:89E 9J5C@6=64EC:4 724:=:E:6D 2D @?6 =2C86 4@>A=6I 3642FD6 E96J 2C6 =@42E65 E@86E96C @? 2? ``\>:=6 DEC6E49 @7 E96 C:G6C]k^Am
kAm%96 @H?6CD 92G6 D:?46 DF3>:EE65 5C27E =:46?D6 2AA=:42E:@?D 2?5 E96:C 7:?2= =:46?D6 2AA=:42E:@?D 2C6 5F6 yF=J b`] ~?46 E96 7:?2= 2AA=:42E:@?D 2C6 56E6C>:?65 E@ 36 4@>A=6E6[ ut#r DA@<6DH@>2? r6=6DE6 |:==6C D2:5 E96 286?4J H:== :DDF6 2 ?@E:46 D@=:4:E:?8 4@>>6?ED 2D E96J DE2CE E96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 2?2=JD:D AC@46DD] |:==6C D2:5 D96 D2:5 4@F=5 ?@E DA64F=2E6 @? H96? 2 7:?2= 564:D:@? H:== 36 >256]k^Am
kAmr6?EC2= #:G6CD @H?D $>:E9 wJ5C@6=64EC:4 A=2?E :? q6C=:? 2?5 E96 v@C92> wJ5C@6=64EC:4 A=2?E[ 3@E9 7@C>6C=J @H?65 3J !F3=:4 $6CG:46 @7 }w] %96 =:46?D6D 7@C 3@E9 A=2?ED 6IA:C6 :? a_ac] $>:E9 wJ5C@ :D 2 `d\>682H2EE 724:=:EJ H9:=6 v@C92> :D a]`\>682H2EED]k^Am
kAmvC62E {2<6D wJ5C@ @H?D $96=3FC?6 wJ5C@6=64EC:4[ &AA6C v@C92> 2?5 r2D4256 wJ5C@6=64EC:4 A=2?ED :? v@C92>[ 2?5 rC@DD[ $2H>:==[ 2?5 #:G6CD:56 wJ5C@6=64EC:4 A=2?ED :? q6C=:?] #:G6CD:56’D =:46?D6 E@ @A6C2E6 5@6D ?@E 6IA:C6 F?E:= s64] b`[ a_bb[ 3FE vC62E {2<6D 7:=65 2 >@E:@? E@ 2446=6C2E6 :ED 6IA:C2E:@? E@ yF=J b`[ a_ac[ D@ :E 42? 36 :?4=F565 H:E9 E96 @E96CD] r@>3:?65 E96 D:I 724:=:E:6D E@E2= ;FDE @G6C ad >682H2EED]k^Am
kAm%96 5C27E C6A@CED D9@H E96 4@>A2?:6D 2C6 ?@E AC@A@D:?8 E@ 255 42A24:EJ @C >2<6 2?J A9JD:42= >@5:7:42E:@?D]k^Am
kAm$E:== E@ 4@>6 2C6 C64C62E:@? DEF5:6D E92E H6C6 C6BF6DE65 3J =@42= @77:4:2=D 2E E96 AF3=:4 D4@A:?8 962C:?8D @? E96 =:46?D:?8 96=5 :? E96 72== @7 a_`h]k^Am
kAms2G:5 w6:5C:49[ >2?286C @7 DE2<69@=56C C6=2E:@?D 7@C vC62E {2<6D[ D2:5 E96 A2?56>:4 56=2J65 E96 C64C62E:@? DEF5:6D 3FE E96J 2C6 ?@H F?56CH2J] w6 D2:5 E96 z=6:?D49>:5E vC@FA :D 4@?5F4E:?8 :?56A6?56?E DEF5:6D 7@C 3@E9 vC62E {2<6D 2?5 r6?EC2= #:G6CD 2?5 6249 4@>A2?J H:== 7:=6 :ED @H? C6A@CE] w6:5C:4< D2:5 H@C< @? E96 DEF5J :D 6IA64E65 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E9C@F89 $6AE6>36C H:E9 E96 C6A@CE 4@>A=6E65 :? 62C=J a_ab]k^Am
kAm“%96 AFCA@D6 @7 E96 C64C62E:@? DEF5J :D E@ 36EE6C F?56CDE2?5 E96 EJA6 2?5 G@=F>6 @7 FD6 2E D6=64E C64C62E:@? D:E6D :? E96 C68:@? D@ E92E H6 42? 36EE6C F?56CDE2?5 E96:C 42A24:EJ 2?5 D:E6\DA64:7:4 ?665D] %9:D H@C< :D 244@>A=:D965 E9C@F89 2 G2C:6EJ @7 >62?D[ :?4=F5:?8 E2<:?8 4@F?ED 2?5 4@?5F4E:?8 FD6C DFCG6JD H:E9 D:E6 G:D:E@CD] &=E:>2E6=J[ E96 C6DF=ED @7 E96 DEF5J H:== 96=A :?7@C> H96E96C 25;FDE>6?ED >2J 36 ?646DD2CJ E@ 6?DFC6 E92E E96D6 =@42E:@?D AC@G:56 256BF2E6 C64C62E:@?2= @AA@CEF?:E:6D 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 E96 p?5C@D4@88:? #:G6C[ H6== :?E@ E96 7FEFC6[ 7@C E9@D6 =:G:?8 :? 2?5 G:D:E:?8 E96 p?5C@D4@88:? #:G6C '2==6J[” w6:5C:49 HC@E6 :? 2? 6>2:=]k^Am
kAmx? :ED 5C27E 2AA=:42E:@?[ r6?EC2= #:G6CD ?@E65 E92E :E AC@G:56D AF3=:4 2446DD E@ E96 `_\24C6 $>:E9 !6?:?DF=2 !2C<[ =@42E65 36EH66? E96 A6?DE@4< 2?5 3JA2DD65 C6249 @7 E96 $>:E9 AC@;64E] %96 A2C< AC@G:56D D@>6 H2=<:?8 EC2:=D[ A:4?:4 E23=6D[ 36?496D[ =2?5D42A:?8[ A2C<:?8[ 2?5 C6DEC@@> 724:=:E:6D 2D H6== 2D D46?:4 @G6C=@@<D @7 E96 >@F?E2:?D[ E96 s625 2?5 p?5J #:G6CD] r6?EC2= #:G6CD 2=D@ AC@G:56D C64C62E:@? 724:=:E:6D 2=@?8 E96 D@FE9 D9@C6 @7 E96 v@C92> AC@;64E :?4=F5:?8 2 H2=<:?8 EC2:=[ 2 A:4?:4 2C62[ 2 42?@6 A@CE286[ 2 7:D9:?8 2C62 5@H?DEC62> @7 E96 A@H6C9@FD6[ A2C<:?8[ 2? :?7@C>2E:@? <:@D< 2?5 2 D64@?5 :?7@C>2E:@? <:@D< @? E96 ?@CE9 D9@C6]k^Am
kAmvC62E {2<6D ?@E65 E92E 2E =62DE @7 :ED 9J5C@\6=64EC:4 D:E6D 2C6 ?@E DF:E23=6 7@C C64C62E:@? 3642FD6 @7 E96:C AC@I:>:EJ E@ E96 $FA6C uF?5 D:E6 @C =@42E:@? :? E96 7@C>6C >:== 4@>A=6I] %96 4@CA@C2E:@? D2:5 E96C6 2C6 :?7@C>2= C64C62E:@? 724:=:E:6D 2E D@>6 @7 :ED D:E6D 3FE E96J 2C6 ?@E AC@G:565 3J vC62E {2<6D]k^Am
kAm%@ C625 5@4F>6?ED @? E96 C6\=:46?D:?8 AC@46DD[ 8@ E@ 6=:3C2CJ 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^76C4]8@GQm76C4]8@Gk^2m 2?5 FD6 E96 5@4<6E ?F>36CD !\acaa[ !\abae [ !\ab`` 2?5 !\ab__]k^Am
(1) comment
25 megawatts is ridiculously low amount for 11 dams. 3 windmills or a couple acres of solar panels can generate more megawatts. The ecosystem fragmentation by the dams and their stagnation and heat pollution of the river wipes out any justification for their existence. The recreational value of a free flowing river would keep recreational dollars in the local community and not send it to Canada.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.