The hydro-power dam on the Winooski River that separates Williston and Essex Junction is receiving what Green Mountain Power calls routine late-summer maintenance, with workers from PC Construction suspended on a temporary bridge on the near-vertical embankment of the dam, smoothing the concrete surface over which water flows to create renewable power.
The dam is responsible for 40,000 megawatt hours a year, Green Mountain Power Spokesperson Kristin Carlson said, enough to power 6,000 homes.
“We make quite a bit of power in the fall, winter and spring. In the summer, the power production is diminished so we focus on maintenance,” Jason Lisai of Green Mountain Power operations said.
Green Mountain Power runs 41 hydropower dams in Vermont. The Essex Hydro Station, as it’s known by the company, has been producing power for more than 100 years. Compared to other renewable sources — wind and solar — hydro-power is the most productive resource for the company.
“These hydro stations have been a part of how we provide power to our customers since the start of the company,” Carlson said. “They are a very cost-effective renewable resource that we can count on as part of our diverse energy supply.”
Including Hydro-Quebec, where GMP gets the majority of its hydro-power, the company’s portfolio includes about 1.5 million megawatt hours of hydro-power. That is roughly triple what it sources from other renewables — solar and wind — combined. Starting next year, GMP will add another 600 megawatt hours of hydro-power annually with a new power purchase agreement with Great River Hydro on the Connecticut River, Carlson said.
...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SATURDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 30 to
45 below zero, except 40 to 50 below for portions of the
northern Adirondacks and Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.
* WHERE...All of northern New York and Vermont.
* WHEN...Until 1 PM EST Saturday.
* IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause
frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The lowest wind chills will occur during
the daylight hours today into early Saturday morning.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, dress in
layers and make sure you wear appropriate clothing, including a
hat and gloves.
&&
Currently in Williston
-9°
Cloudy
-2° / -9°
1 PM
-9°
2 PM
-9°
3 PM
-10°
4 PM
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5 PM
-11°
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