Katherine Bickford

I like all things hydroelectric, especially when a bit of sleuthing and perseverance is required to visit them. Nova Scotia Power is a bit tight-lipped when it comes to such things, and if not for seeing a surge tower in the distance while travelling on Highway 201 in the Annapolis Valley, I would not have known that there was a hydroelectric plant in the area.

Having discovered that there was in fact, a hydroelectric plant in the area, I wanted to know more. According to Google, Paradise Hydroelectric is a 4.2 MW power station located off Highway 201, in West Paradise.

This was as close to the penstock pipeline surge tower as I could legally fly my drone, as I had reached an altitude of 120 metres above ground level. Time for a drive up along a fairly rough road to see if I could get a better look.

I had had enough of driving by the time we reached the north end of Birch Hill Lake, or at least that’s where the image EXIF data suggests we were. Oddly enough, Birch Hill Lake does not appear to be near West Paradise if you want to trust Google.

44° 48′ 40.66″ N, 65° 13′ 6.98″ W is where I was.

The surge tower? That will be another day.

Birch Hill Lake