FAIR HAVEN — Town officials want to know if they can power municipal buildings using hydro power from the three dams located along the Castleton River.

On Tuesday night the Select Board awarded a $10,000 bid to John “Jay” Boeri, PE, to study the feasibility of hydro power production.

Boeri’s proposal was the only bid received by the town for the feasibility study, but the town’s energy committee felt the proposal included exactly what the committee requested and recommended it to the board. It will be paid by money appropriated by town voters on two Town Meeting Day occasions, the most recent last year.

Energy committee member Robert Richards said the study by Boeri will get more specific and technical and will give the town a recommendation on whether to go forward with any potential hydro power projects. He said the final report will also give specific costs that indicate whether the projects are feasible for the town.

“We would have everything but final engineering,” Richards said. “That is what we asked for. It will tell if we can do it or not.”
According to the energy committee, Boeri will work in partnership with Ben Gordesky of Earthbound Systems in Burlington to conduct the study.

“The guy knows his stuff,” Richards said.

For the complete story, see Friday's Rutland Herald.