Hanover Pond Dam Hydropower Development

Fuss & O’Neill provided engineering services for installation of a 176 KW Archimedes Screw Turbine hydropower development at the Hanover Pond Dam, which is located on the Quinnipiac River and is owned by the City of Meriden, CT.

This unique design produces renewable, zero emissions energy. The structure generates 0.2 megawatts of power directly from the force of water pouring over the spillway.

Our multidisciplinary team provided planning natural resource investigation, structural engineering, hydraulic analysis, regulatory permitting, geotechnical engineering, and design for this U.S. first-of-a-kind project. We evaluated seepage and stability of the earthen embankment and concrete spillway structures, were responsible for hydrology and hydraulics, and undertook a critical inflow design flood analyses to determine the appropriate spillway design flood.

The major challenges on this project included incorporating very precise geometry for the new spillway and powerhouse perched over it to allow for the proper operation and maximum power delivery from the screw. The design of tailrace discharge hydraulics was critical to avoiding false attraction water flow for the existing Denil fishway entrance.

We designed water control, dewatering, and temporary earth support systems. We designed and prepared construction documents for the installation of the hydropower components, including concrete, site design, and embankment filter drainage system.

Fuss & O’Neill worked with the New England Hydropower Company team, City staff, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and local interest groups to address FERC requirements for the licensing process. All improvements were designed to comply with the requirements of the FERC Dam Safety Program and we coordinated with FERC during the preparation of exhibit drawings and during FERC dam safety design review.

Coordination with CTDEEP and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) fisheries staff also facilitated a consensus on how to best mitigate potential impacts to fish passage. We participated in meetings involving the City, interested community groups, investors, and regulatory program staff to present the engineering, investigation, and design elements of the project.

Fuss & O’Neill provided construction phase design, site observation services, and construction phase inspection services. All construction was carried out on an existing earthen dam embankment with constant monitoring of the impoundment and water flow nets through the dam as material was disturbed on the downstream slope.

Foundation systems needed to not establish new flow paths through the dam, and mut mad were utilized for the downstream pools and training walls. Construction administration services included providing hold point inspections, payment requisition review, weekly meetings, reviewing submittals, and coordinating with the contractor and federal regulatory personnel.