ATHOL, Mass. 3/8/12 (PennWell) -- The L.P. Athol Corporation has submitted an application for certification of its 500-kW Cresticon Hydroelectric Project on the Miller River in Athol, Mass., the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announces.
The Cresticon project consists of two run-of-river facilities -- the older "Lower Site," which was built in 1899 with additions made through the 1950s, and the "Upper Site" that was constructed in 1931.
Lower Cresticon features a 135-foot-long stone and concrete dam and a 670-foot-long power canal. Upper Cresticon consists of a 79-foot-long stone and concrete gravity dam, a 334-foot-long power canal and a 223-foot-long tailrace.
Both the upper and lower sites have their own powerhouse, each with a 250-kW generating unit. Both also have their own 13.8-kV transmission lines.
LIHI is a non-profit organization that uses its voluntary certification program to reduce the impacts of hydropower dams through market incentives. Candidates will be evaluated in criteria including their ecological, economic and social impact.
The organization also recently received certification applications for four projects owned by Central Vermont Public Service.
