Hydroelectric, Holyoke MA

Hadley Falls Power Station is operated by the Holyoke Gas and Electric Company.

The first dam was built across the Connecticut River at Hadley Falls in 1849. The dam supplied water power for the mills of the new industrially planned city of Holyoke.

In 1952 a pair of hydroelectric generators were placed on the Holyoke side of the river to take advantage of a 40' drop in elevation between the water above and below the 1000' long Holyoke Dam.

Water Power!

Arial View of Holyoke

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Water is diverted from the upper reservoir and passes through a penstock before driving the turbines that generate the electricity. The power is passed through a transformer and then on to transmission lines.

Hydropower, Holyoke, MA

A fish ladder operates during the spring to lift shad and salmon over the dam. Visitors can view the generator and the fish ladder from Wednesday through Sunday when the fish are swimming upstream.

Holyoke Gas and Electric Company is a subsidiary of Northeast Utilities and supplies power to the City of Holyoke.

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