Frank D. Comerford Dam
Frank D. Comerford Dam is an International Style concrete dam in the Fifteen Mile Falls of the Connecticut River, on the border between the U.S. states of New Hampshire and Vermont. The dam is near Monroe, New Hampshire and Barnet, Vermont. Construction began in 1928 and was completed in 1931. The dam and the power plant were acquired by a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec from Great River Hydro, LLC, in October 2022.
| Frank D. Comerford Dam | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Frank D. Comerford Dam |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Monroe, New Hampshire Barnet, Vermont |
| Coordinates | 44°19′31″N 72°0′03″W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1928 |
| Opening date | 1930 |
| Owner(s) | Hydro-Québec |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Gravity dam |
| Impounds | Connecticut River |
| Height | 170 feet (52 m) |
| Length | 2,253 feet (687 m) |
| Elevation at crest | 647 feet (197 m) |
| Spillways | 1 |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Comerford Reservoir |
| 140 Megawatts capacity at 13,300 cfs discharge | |
Comerford Reservoir is the reservoir created behind the dam, named after Frank D. Comerford, president of the Connecticut River Power Company and the New England Power Company.
Hydroelectric power plants have the ability to vary the amount of power generated, depending on the demand. Steam turbine power plants are not as easily "throttled" because of the amount of thermodynamic inertia contained in their systems.