Maine’s many streams and rivers once provided nearly all the power to industries such as timber processing, paper mills, and manufacturing of clothing. Even now, hydropower contributes about 27% of Maine’s electrical generation, according to the Energy Information Administration. There are a total of 232 dams generating hydropower in Maine. These dams each generate less than 100 MW, and most generate less than 10 MW.
Hydropower has come under increasing scrutiny in recent decades. Consequently, few hydropower projects are being proposed across the US. Maine’s last hydropower dam was constructed in 1997. Among the issues with hydropower are methane and carbon-dioxide emissions from impounded waters, loss of forest area due to impoundments, barriers to spawning of salmon and other fish species, sedimentation of areas behind dams, and loss of minerals and nutrients in downstream waters.
While Sierra Club policy generally accepts small hydropower facilities, Sierra Club Maine will carefully look at proposals for new hydropower plants that are intended to meet goals of increasing the percentage of power generated from renewable sources in Maine.
Resources
- Energy Information Administration profile on Maine energy
- The US Army Corps of Engineers keeps the National Inventory of Dams (NID)
- Sierra Club policy on hydropower is found in its energy policy at
- Massachusetts Chapter of Sierra Club explains the issues with hydropower