The Helena Valley Irrigation District has requested approval to develop 9.4MW of hydropower from the US Bureau of Reclamation at the existing Helena Valley Pumping Plant site at Canyon Ferry Dam in Montana, US.
The project would be developed to include a retrofit of the plant's existing mechanical water pumping equipment and the addition of new electrical generators and other related equipment. Power will be generated using the existing water required for irrigation purposes, as well as a portion of the seasonal runoff water that would have flowed through the dam's outlet gates and over the spillway. A power purchase agreement has been executed to sell the power to NorthWestern Energy which is located nearby.
Across in New Hampshire, Grafton Hydro has filed an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a preliminary permit to study the feasibility of the Lebanon-Mascoma hydroelectric project. To be located on the Mascoma River in Grafton County, the proposed scheme would include two new developments and generate an estimated 6500MWh/yr.
