Table 2: Removal of hydroelectric projects in the US – selected case studies
Removal Complete |
FERC No. |
Dam |
River |
State |
Dam Height |
Installed Capacity |
Reservoir Size |
Inflated Removal Cost |
Built |
Age at Removal |
Retired |
Reason for Retirement |
(year) |
|
|
|
|
(m) |
(MW) |
(Ha) |
($M) |
(year) |
(years) |
(year) |
|
1973 |
|
Lewiston |
Clearwater |
ID |
14 |
10 |
|
2.9 |
1927 |
46 |
|
Reservoir full of sediment |
1973 |
2482 |
Fort Edwards |
Hudson |
NY |
10 |
2.85 |
78.9 |
2.0 |
1898 |
75 |
1969 |
Cost of repairs to aged structures |
1991 |
10694 |
Willow Falls |
Willow |
WI |
18 |
1 |
40.5 |
1.0 |
1870 |
121 |
1985 |
Flood damage |
2000 |
2306 |
Newport No 11 |
Clyde |
VT |
6 |
1.8 |
0.4 |
0.8 |
1957 |
43 |
1996 |
Partial collapse |
1998 |
10696 |
Mounds |
Willow |
WI |
18 |
0.4 |
23.1 |
0.7 |
1926 |
72 |
1963 |
Economic reasons |
1999 |
2389 |
Edwards |
Kennebec |
ME |
7 |
3.5 |
462.6 |
4.2 |
1837 |
162 |
1999 |
FERC denied relicensing for fish reasons |
2000 |
3688 |
East Machias |
East Machias |
ME |
5 |
1.5 |
|
0.7 |
1926 |
74 |
1962 |
Inadequate power generation |
2001 |
10781 |
Orienta |
Iron |
WI |
13 |
0.8 |
|
0.7 |
1947 |
54 |
1985 |
Flood damage |
2002 |
7118 |
Smelt Hill |
Presumpscot |
ME |
6 |
1.1 |
|
0.4 |
1898 |
104 |
1996 |
Flood damage |
2002 |
4180 |
Sennebec |
St. George |
ME |
5 |
0.4 |
|
0.4 |
1916 |
86 |
1961 |
No longer of use with the advent of larger generators |
2003 |
2580 |
Stronach |
Pine |
MI |
5 |
0.8 |
27.3 |
1.1 |
1912 |
91 |
1953 |
Reservoir full of sediment |
2005 |
7490 |
Embrey |
Rappahannock |
VA |
7 |
6 |
|
11.5 |
1910 |
95 |
1968 |
Inefficient compared to larger dams |
2006 |
20 |
Cove |
Bear |
ID |
8 |
7.5 |
3.0 |
3.5 |
1917 |
89 |
circa 2004 |
Cost of repairs vs. revenue |
2006 |
11433 |
Madison Electric Works |
Sandy |
ME |
5 |
0.547 |
|
0.5 |
1903 |
103 |
2006 |
Relicensing required fish ladders – too expensive |
2005 |
2471 |
Sturgeon |
Sturgeon |
WI |
15 |
0.8 |
100.4 |
2.3 |
1919 |
86 |
|
Mitigation for operation of other We Energies projects |
2009 |
477 |
Marmot & Little Sandy |
Sandy |
ME |
14 |
22 |
|
22.5 |
1912 |
97 |
|
Upgrade costs and fish |
2012 |
|
Elwha and Glines Canyon |
Elwha |
WA |
65 |
28.1 |
265.1 |
227.0 |
1910 & 1926 |
102, 86 |
|
Restore the river and fish runs |
2009 |
2342 |
Condit |
White Salmon |
WA |
38 |
14.7 |
526.1 |
27.8 |
1913 |
96 |
|
No longer economically viable with rising environmental costs |
2012 |
2659 |
Powerdale |
Hood |
OR |
3 |
6 |
|
6.5 |
1923 |
89 |
1/04/2010 |
Cost of fish compliance |
|
2082 |
J.C. Boyle Company |
Klamath |
OR |
21 |
80 |
170.0 |
20.4 |
1958 |
|
|
Restoration of river (600 miles) for fish runs |
|
|
Copco No. 1 |
|
CA |
38 |
20 |
404.7 |
22.1 |
1918 |
|
|
Restoration of river (600 miles) for fish runs |
|
|
Copco No. 2 |
|
CA |
10 |
27 |
16.2 |
4.0 |
1925 |
|
|
Restoration of river (600 miles) for fish runs |
|
|
Iron Gate |
|
CA |
53 |
18 |
382.0 |
40.0 |
1962 |
|
|
Restoration of river (600 miles) for fish runs |