ReEnergy Facility Fire In Fort Fairfield Under Investigation

ReEnergy Fort Fairfield employees summoned the Fort Fairfield Fire Department at approximately 3:15 a.m. Saturday, March 18 for assistance with a facility fire.

No one was injured in the fire and employee evacuation was not required. There were no environmental violations.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

At this time, employees are working to assess conditions and taking action to restore operations. The facility’s employees are working their customary shifts and the facility is accepting fuel deliveries.

The Fort Fairfield Fire Department extinguished the fire and multiple hot spots with the assistance of personnel from the Presque Isle, Caribou, and Limestone fire departments.  All firefighters had left the scene by 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

It is anticipated that the facility will resume operations on Wednesday morning. The facility’s senior management and health and safety personnel will review the incident.

James White, Chief Operating Officer of ReEnergy’s Energy Division, who will oversee the ongoing response and investigation said,

“Health and safety is our Number One priority, and we are relieved that no one was injured in this incident. We are thankful for the prompt assistance we received from the Fort Fairfield Fire Department and the other responding departments. We will conduct a full investigation into the incident, inspecting the site of the fire and our processes, and will make repairs and operational adjustments if any are deemed appropriate.”

The ReEnergy Fort Fairfield biomass power facility is located on Cheney Grove Road in Fort Fairfield.

It uses sustainably harvested biomass to produce approximately 260,000 net MWh of renewable energy each year — enough electricity to supply about 34,000 homes.

The facility employs 26 individuals and supports more than 150 indirect jobs, many of them harvesting fuel in local forests.