ME

Medway P-2666

General information

Waterway  West Branch Penobscot River
Current status   Active license 
Type of facility Conventional Hydro
Mode of hydropower generation Run-of-river
Type of permit FERC License

FERC information

FERC docket # P-2666
FERC project name Medway
Permit issued 3/24/99
Permit expiration 3/27/29

Ownership and operation

Owner Black Bear Hydro Partners LLC
Owner type Private Non-utility
Year first online (conventional hydro) 1923
Transmission or distribution system owner Emera Maine

Power and generating capacity

Number of units 5
Total capacity from hydraulic turbine-generator units within each plant 4.0 MW
Average annual net hydropower generation 27,941.5 MWH

The Medway Hydroelectric Project is a run-of-river hydroelectric generating facility located on the West Branch of the Penobscot River in Medway, Maine with a gross nameplate generating capacity of 3.44 MW. The Medway Project commenced initial commercial operations in 1923.

The Medway Project generates renewable electricity while providing recreational opportunities (portage trail and boat launch), fish passage measures, consistent water levels that enhance habitats for waterfowl, etc., and substantial support of the local community through stable property tax payments, reliable voltage support of the electrical distribution system, etc.

The Medway Project consists of a 343-foot-long concrete gravity dam surmounted byflashboards, a 64-foot-long concrete gravity forebay wall, a 120-acre impoundment, a powerhouse containing five generating units with a total installed capacity of 3.44 MW, an approximate 144-foot-long underground transmission line, and appurtenant facilities.

The Medway Hydroelectric Project is one of the three projects included in the the Penobscot River Restoration Agreement. The other two are: Orono Hydroelectric Project (P-2710) and Stillwater Hydroelectric Project (P-2712).

Please see additional project information in this 2020 factsheet created by Kaitlyn Raffier, Sharon Klein, and Emma Fox as part of the Future of Dams collaborative research project between the University of Maine, University of New Hampshire, and others.

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