Brookfield Renewable N.A. is replacing faulty poles on the roughly 30-mile transmission line serving the Ripogenus Dam after a July crossarm failure that likely killed thousands of fish by reducing water flows. The outages — and a prior 2023 incident — have prompted FERC to seek an itemized record of inspections and repairs dating to 2016; Brookfield has 60 days to respond. Brookfield says the work is part of a decade-long maintenance program and attributes the July failure to "age-related internal deterioration" not visible from the outside.
Ripogenus Dam Owner Replaces Faulty Poles After July Crossarm Failure That Likely Killed Thousands Of Fish
Left, juvenile fish were found stranded and dead along the West Branch of the Penobscot River after a sudden drop in flows following a turbine shutdown at Brookfield Renewable's McKay Station on July 27. (Photo courtesy Chris Howe.) Right, a charred crossarm is visible atop a utility pole along the transmission line from Brookfield Renewable's McKay Station. (Photo courtesy Todd Mercer.)
Brookfield Renewable North America says it is replacing defective utility poles along the roughly 30-mile transmission line that serves the Ripogenus hydroelectric dam after a July crossarm failure that likely killed thousands of fish by sharply reducing water flows.
What Happened
The July crossarm break sparked a small fire and forced an automatic shutdown of the Ripogenus Dam, located about 30 miles west of Millinocket. The outage followed a previous 2023 incident at McKay Station — the plant tied to the dam — when lightning struck poles and other equipment, also triggering a shutdown.
Regulatory Scrutiny
Federal regulators are reviewing the dam as part of a license renewal process, and the July incident prompted renewed complaints from conservation groups and local landowners who say Brookfield has allowed maintenance to lapse. On Aug. 27, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) asked Brookfield for an itemized, location- and date-specific accounting of all inspections, maintenance and rehabilitation on the transmission line since 2016; the company has been given 60 days to respond.
Company Response
Great Lakes Hydro America, the Brookfield subsidiary that operates Ripogenus, says the new poles are part of an annual maintenance program it has run for a decade. Brookfield told regulators it spent $3 million on maintenance intended to improve reliability.
David Heidrich, Brookfield spokesperson: "The annual maintenance program is meant to reduce risk and improve reliability, but it cannot rule out an unexpected failure. Even well-maintained infrastructure can experience unexpected failures."
In a July 31 filing, Brookfield said investigators determined the crossarm failed because of "age-related internal deterioration" that was not visible from the outside.
Ongoing Work And Outages
Brookfield says McKay Station will be shut down in the evenings through Oct. 10 for seasonal maintenance — including work on transmission lines — and will be taken offline again in December. During those outages, water will be released through deep gates and routed through the upper gorge to maintain flows.
Concerns From Conservation Groups
Trout Unlimited and local neighbors have filed comments with FERC raising concerns about maintenance practices and irregular water releases. They highlighted the two recent failures as evidence that the line’s reliability remains in question despite Brookfield’s reported maintenance spending.
Key facts: roughly 30-mile transmission line; two recent shutdowns (2023 and July); FERC request for records back to 2016; $3 million in reported maintenance spending; company attributes the July failure to hidden, age-related deterioration.
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