Flow at Mactaquac Dam nearing the lowest since it opened 57 years ago

The Mactaquac Dam in New Brunswick isn’t generating power due to low water levels.

There’s just a trickle of water spilling through the Mactaquac Dam this week.

New Brunswick Power has had to turn off the hydroelectric dam’s generators and just allow the bare minimum to flow to meet Fisheries and Oceans Canada requirements – while preserving levels on the headpond.

It’s a situation that happens most Septembers, but this year is different.

“Right now, we’re experiencing very, very low river flows. It’s kind of unprecedented. The last few weeks, if it keeps trending the way it’s trending, we’ll probably be at the lowest flow recorded since 1968,” said Greg Carroll, NB Power’s Hydro Region operations manager.

Of course, it’s all caused by the dry weather the province has seen over the last two months.

Carroll says the shutdown is a proactive measure. Generally, power demands in September are relatively low.

So, by preserving as much water in the headpond as possible, it can be turned back on again if there were problems with a different power generating utility owned by NB Power.

“Hopefully in the next few weeks we get some rain where we can go back to our normal mode of operation, which would be to generate at minimum loads during low flows and meet the peaks in the morning and evening for the customers,” he explained.

CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell says there is a solid rain system expected Thursday night into Friday.

Potentially 30-50 mm around the Bay of Fundy coastline.

“The Maritimes needs about two systems like this a week now through November to make meaningful gains on the dry conditions,” he said.

Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station has been undergoing a planned maintenance shutdown since July.

Green Party leader David Coon says it’s situations like this that has him calling for a refurbishment of the province’s power grid itself, adding that wind, solar and batteries have proven to be very reliable in other countries.

Coon says the weather’s impact on Mactaquac dam is “concerning, but it’s no surprise.”

“Because we know that with the lack of rain, our levels are low. And so, that raises, you know, a new question of really is it worth putting seven, eight, nine billion into the refurbishment of Mactaquac if we’re going to increasingly see these situations as a result of climate change with lower and lower water levels for longer periods of time,” he said.

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