FORT KENT, Maine — A catastrophic fire that took down two silos holding 500 tons of bulk wood pellets at Northeast Pellets in Ashland on Aug. 30 will not adversely impact the winter heating supply at the University of Maine at Fort Kent or Maine School Administrative District 27.
The fire, which drew more than 20 firefighters from four towns, called into question whether UMFK, which began contracting through Northeast Pellets in 2016, would face difficulty acquiring pellets for its heat source this winter.
The biomass boiler facility at the University of Maine at Fort Kent provides heat and hot water through an underground pipe system to ten buildings on campus, as well as neighboring SAD 27 schools. (Andrew Birden)
The biomass boiler facility at UMFK serves ten campus buildings and also is connected by underground piping to heat the nearby Fort Kent Community High School/Valley Rivers Middle School, and Fort Kent Elementary School.
As the biggest bulk buyer from Northeast Pellets, UMFK purchased about 1,300 tons of fuel pellets from the Ashland mill last year to feed its boiler to supply heat and hot water to the campus and nearby school buildings.
“We are still in the original contract with Northeast Pellets in Ashland,” Andrew Jacobs, director of facilities at UMFK, said in an email Tuesday. “They have subcontracted with (Corinth Pellets), just outside Bangor. They also have an agreement with (Maine Woods Pellet) in Athens.
“Supply is plentiful and forecast to remain so,” he added. “The same hauler is delivering so we don’t see much change as yet and don’t expect to.”
