Photo courtesy of Bill GoodwinStanding on top of the old earthen dam built more than a century ago, engineers place huge sand bags on top of the submerged remnants as they prepare to further divert the Millers River main flow to the south, down the sluiceway, allowing for maintenance in the days to come on the concrete structures anchoring the two steel drop-gates in Orange.
Photo courtesy of Bill GoodwinStanding on top of the old earthen dam built more than a century ago, engineers place huge sand bags on top of the submerged remnants as they prepare to further divert the Millers River main flow to the south, down the sluiceway, allowing for maintenance in the days to come on the concrete structures anchoring the two steel drop-gates in Orange.

ORANGE — The general manager of the company rehabilitating a dam off West River Street said the project is on track to conclude around Oct. 1, despite some issues that must be addressed.

Stephen Fisk of O’Connell Energy Group, which operates hydro sites like the one by the South Main Street bridge on the Millers River, said age has eroded the dam’s concrete more than expected and the steel crest gates are rusted. He explained crest gates are opened slowly to let water through. He said the concrete is being repaired and the steel will be replaced.

“It’s coming along. … We’re making our adjustments and getting at it,” Fisk said at the site on Monday. “We haven’t interrupted the (river) flows at all. These are natural flows that go through. We don’t stop it or interrupt it. There is no ponding here. Whatever water comes in goes through.”

The Mini-Watt Hydroelectric facility off West River Street is owned by a corporation of the same name with a Holyoke mailing address, according to town assessors’ records and State Registry of Deeds land records.

The work, financed by state grant money, began on July 5. In April, state energy officials in April announced $1.05 million in grants to support upgrades to three western Massachusetts hydroelectric facilities: Mini-Watt Hydroelectric, Pioneer Hydro Electric Co. in Ware and A & D Hydro Inc. in West Springfield. Mini-Watt Hydroelectric received $500,000 in state aid to stop leaks and modernize equipment, including a fully automated system that can be controlled via smartphone.

The state previously said the upgrades are expected to increase electric generation by at least 516,000 kWh per year, enough to power 68 average Massachusetts homes.

You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 258.
On Twitter: @DomenicPoli