Excerpt from Maine Public (May 17, 2026)
Aging hydropower dams on the Union River in Ellsworth fail to meet necessary water quality standards to receive a key state operating permit, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The department issued a draft denial of a water quality certificate for the hydroelectric project in early May. It is the latest rejection for dam owner Brookfield Renewable which has been trying to get the dam federally relicensed for years.