Summit Hydropower, Inc.

Summit Hydropower, Inc. (SHI) is a Connecticut Corporation in business since 1983. Comprised of President Duncan Broatch plus three employees, SHI develops, builds, refurbishes, maintains, operates, leases and owns hydroelectric facilities. Most of our work involves sites owned by SHI. However, we occasionally provide services for outside customers on a limited basis.

New trash rack, trash rake and conveyor system installed by Summit Hydropower.

Hydropower harnesses the energy of falling water to generate electricity. Hydropower creates no pollution and it is renewable since the flow of water in rivers is perpetual. Hydropower is the oldest form of electrical power and it is the world's #1 use of renewable energy. The capital cost of hydropower projects is higher than fossil burning projects but operating costs are low and there is no dependence on a fuel supply that is depleting and becoming more expensive.

SHI's goals are to provide long term benefits to future generations and to our environment by developing and improving hydropower projects in an environmentally responsible fashion while maintaining uncompromising safety and high quality workmanship standards.

SHI currently owns and operates two hydro facilities located in Eastern Connecticut: Wyre Wynd Hydro and Dayville Pond Hydro. Electricity from both of SHI's sites is currently sold to the New England grid at wholesale market rates. From the grid other electric companies buy the electricity and deliver it to their customers.

Decommissioned hydro project planned for rehabilitation by Summit Hydropower.

SHI currently holds FERC licenses on four additional projects located at retired hydro facilities in Connecticut for which SHI is planning to redevelop and put on line: Hale, located in Putnam, CT; Glen Falls located in Moosup, CT; Collinsville Upper located in Collinsville, CT and Collinsville Lower located in Collinsville, CT.

Hydropower provides our society and the environment with many benefits including recreation, historical enhancements, property tax to towns, economic stimulation, and the removal of river trash. Additionally, hydro helps reduce our nation's energy problems and foreign oil dependence. Not only does oil combustion pollute our air but we rely on imports from other countries for most of our oil and the world's finite oil reserves are being quickly depleted. SHI's Dayville site produces a clean energy equivalent of 600 barrels of oil per year and Wyre Wynd avoids 17,000 barrels of oil per year.

Additionally, SHI contributes to the economy through the use of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). 1 REC is equal to 1,000 kWh of renewable generation. For example, a customer may buy 10,000 kWh of electricity from a non-renewable source but if it buys 10 RECs from a renewable source then it is effectively buying 100% renewable energy. SHI sells its REC's to a marketing company that markets them to Connecticut residents who choose to consume renewable energy at their homes.

Decommissioned Hydro project planned for redevelopment by Summit Hydropower.

The Dayville Pond site was originally built in 1924 and operated until 1968 when it was retired. After determining that it would be feasible to redevelop, SHI negotiated a 94 year lease with the property owner, a 40 year license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and a 30 year front loaded power sales contract with the local utility.

FERC has sole jurisdiction over hydro in the US. Obtaining a license is extremely complicated. Many State and Federal agencies must be consulted, studies must be performed, and a detailed license application must be submitted for approval. It took 2 years to prepare the license application and 2 years for FERC to grant it. The Dayville project is unique in that the site owner was the subject of a DEP Consent Order which SHI was able to extinguish by proposing to rehabilitate the hydro, perform specific remedial measures and maintain a specific operating plan. This saved the site owner significant expenses and it saved four ten acre ponds that were slated to be drained due to dam/dike breaching.

SHI spent 1½ years rebuilding the generating equipment at Dayville. This included rebuilding the turbine and generator, building new switchgear, repairing the dam, building new trash racks, etc. In March of 1995 it was put on line and has been generating reliably since. Dayville consists of one generating unit: a Holyoke Hercules Francis turbine directly connected to a General Electric synchronous generator.

SHI originally predicted that the project would produce an average of 350,000 kWh annually which is almost exactly what the average is to date. Dayville has an installed capacity of 100 kW and produces enough electricity for about 100 households.

Click here to view photographs for the Dayville Pond site.

Hale Hydro Project in Putnam, CT planned for redevelopment by Summit Hydropower.

The Wyre Wynd facility was originally built Circa 1913 and retired in 1955 after sustaining flood damage. In 1983 the Wyre Wynd Company built a new powerhouse and installed new equipment. In 1997 SHI bought the site and since that date has performed major improvements, repairs and upgrades which have made the project more reliable and easier to operate.

This work included installation of tailgate gantry system, replacement of blade seals with improved design, upgrade of Allen Bradley PLC, rewriting PLC program for more efficient operation, replacement of switchgear relays, installation of additional protective devices, installation of trash rake system, design and installation of trash conveyor system and replacement of trash racks.

Wyre Wynd consists of two generating units: An Allis Chalmers Kaplan turbine directly connected to a 2,700 kW Siemens synchronous generator plus an Allis Chalmers propeller turbine belt connected to an 80 kW induction generator. Wyre Wynd has a total installed capacity of 2,780 kW and produces an average of 10,100,000 kWh of electricity per year, enough for about 2,780 households.

Click here to view photographs for the Wyre Wynd site.

Surplus turbines, generators, hydraulic controls and switchgear purchased by Summit Hydropower for the Hale Hydroelectric Project.