Summit Hydropower, Inc. Avon, CT

Summit Hydropower, Inc. (SHI) is a Connecticut Corporation in business since 1983. Comprised of President Duncan Broatch plus two 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.

SHI's goals are to provide long term benefits to future generations and 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.

click photo to enlarge	Wyre Wynd Hydro Power Jewett City, CT 2,780 KW
click photo to enlarge	Dayville Pond Hydro Power Dayville, CT 100 KW

Hydropower harnesses the energy of falling water to generate electricity. In simple terms the inertial force of water flowing through a pipe rotates a propellor which is connected to a generator to make electricity. Hydropower creates no pollution and this reduces global warming and other air quality problems. Hydropower 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.

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Wyre Wynd dam; 473' long x 20' tall.

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 Wyre Wynd site produces a clean energy equivalent of 17,000 barrels of oil per year. Therefore, it avoids the importation and burning of 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. Visit www.sterlingplanet.com to view options for utilizing renewable electric energy at your home.

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SHI employee Rick assembling hydraulic press in workshop

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, more efficient, more environmentally friendly, 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, switchgear re-design, replacement of switchgear relays, installation of additional protective devices, installation of trash rake system, flashboard replacement, dewatering pump installation, design and installation of trash conveyor system and replacement of trash racks.

Current ongoing work at the site includes installation of a data acquisition system, installation of indoor and outdoor cameras and replacement of shaft spherical roller bearings.

Wyre Wynd consists of two generating units: An Allis Chalmers double regulated 138.5 RPM Kaplan turbine directly connected to a 2,700 kW Siemens synchronous generator plus an Allis Chalmers 514 RPM propeller turbine belt connected to an 80 kW 900 RPM 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 2,000 households and enough to avoid the importation and burning of about 17,000 barrels of oil per year.

Click here to view photographs for the Wyre Wynd site.

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SHI owner Duncan fabricating parts in workshop

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 obtained 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 DPUC approved power sales contract from the utility, N.U.

FERC has sole jurisdiction over hydro in the US. All hydro projects in the U.S. must obtain a FERC license or license exemption unless it has been in continuous operation since 1935. 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 SHI 2 years to perform required studies and prepare the license application and it took 2 years for FERC to grant it. The Dayville project is unique in that prior to SHI entering the scene the site was the subject of a DEP Consent Order due to potential flooding hazards. SHI was able to extinguish the order by performing a detailed dam breach analysis, rehabilitating the hydro, performing specific remedial measures and maintaining a specific operating plan. This saved the site owner significant expenses and it saved four beautiful 10-acre ponds that were slated to be drained due to potential flooding hazards.

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, designing/building a new gate operating system and constructing the transmission line. Virtually all of the work was performed by SHI. In March of 1995 it was put on line and has been generating reliably since. Dayville consists of one generating unit: a verticle Holyoke Hercules Francis cylinder gate turbine directly connected to a 180 RPM, 600V 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.

Dayville Pond hydro trash racks, intake, and power house

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Surplus turbines, generators, hydraulic controls and switchgear purchased by Summit Hydropower for a hydroelectric project in Connecticut.

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Glen Falls hydro project planned for redevelopment by SHI.

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New timber intake gates and trash rack structure built by SHI for Glen Falls project.

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