Design of new powerhouses and fish passage facilities
Black Bear Hydro Penobscot River Projects
As one component of one of the nation’s largest basin-wide river restoration projects, Black Bear Hydro Partners (BBH) was enhancing energy production and fish passage at three of its facilities on the Penobscot River.
Kleinschmidt provided conceptual and final design services for two new powerhouses; (three units totaling 3.9 MW at Orono and three units totaling 2.7 MW at Stillwater) and two new generating units at a third existing powerhouse (totaling 1.2 MW at Milford). Kleinschmidt also completed fish passage design at all three sites including developed conceptual and final design of an upstream fish elevator at the Milford Station, downstream fish passage at Stillwater A and B Stations and upstream and downstream passage at the new Orono B Station. Additionally, at both the Orono and Stillwater projects, Kleinschmidt mapped wetlands and significant wildlife habitats, made qualitative observations with respect to mussel habitat, vegetation, hydrology, microtopography, and other relevant ecological and physical features necessary to evaluate impacts of projects on ecological resources, and completed a survey for rare plants.
Kleinschmidt’s multi-disciplinary team of engineers, scientists, and regulatory specialists developed novel solutions to deliver multiple projects with numerous site constraints within a complex regulatory environment. By working closely and cooperatively with BBH, listening to their needs and incorporating their ideas, Kleinschmidt was able to meet a challenging schedule. The new Stillwater powerhouse was brought online almost three months ahead of schedule and Orono was operational one month ahead of schedule. The fishways were constructed on schedule and were operational for the Spring 2014 migration.