New Brunswick electric utility to prolong life of Mactaquac hydroelectric dam
FREDERICTON — After three years of public consultation on the future of New Brunswick’s Mactaquac hydroelectric generating station, the province’s Crown-owned electric utility has decided to spend up to $3.6 billion to prolong the life of the old dam.
The 670-megawatt facility on the St. John River, west of Fredericton, will remain in use until approximately 2068, at which point the facility will be 100 years old, NB Power said Tuesday.
Since the 1980s, concrete portions of the facility have been affected by a chemical reaction called alkali-aggregate reaction. The reaction causes the concrete to swell and crack, requiring substantial repairs and maintenance. It was expected the dam would be decommissioned by 2030.
“Maintaining the station will allow NB Power future flexibility while we meet our financial and environmental targets, and continue to provide safe, reliable energy at low and stable rates,” said NB Power CEO Gaetan Thomas.