CT community combines ancient Greek and modern hydropower technology
November 21, 2014 | By
Doug Peeples
Meriden, Connecticut has taken an interesting approach to shaving its electric bills by generating power from water that normally would spill over a dam. A project is underway to take advantage of technology commonly attributed to Archimedes. Referred to as screw generator technology, it involves sinking a large screw underground adjacent to the dam. Water that would normally spill over the top of the dam is channeled to the screw which propels it to turn and generate electricity. The community anticipates that the screw generator-equipped Hanover dam will generate up to 900,000 kilowatts (.9 megawatts) of power and save almost $20,000 every year in electricity costs and associated property taxes over 20 years, according to the Record Journal. The electricity will be sent to the Connecticut Light & Power electric grid and the city will buy it back. The Meriden project is far from large. In terms of hydropower classifications, it ranks on the low end of the small hydropower producer range, which is generally considered up to 10 megawatts. The small hydropower classification is typically used by communities and industries. But Meriden's hydropower project is distinctive. It is credited with being the first in the state and among the country's first to take advantage of the technology, Christian Conover, the chief marketing officer for New England Hydropower Company, told the Journal. Screw generator technology is used in Europe, but a rarity in the U.S. A project like Meriden's is in the planning stages in Rhode Island. The project, which will begin construction in summer 2015, will be relatively unobtrusive. The process is not noisy. And, according to New England Hydropower, it will have no impact on fish and other wildlife. For more:
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