The town of Bethel last night approved construction of two wood pellet silos that would be used by entrepreneur Les Otten’s newest company.
Maine Energy Systems, which plans to sell wood pellet boilers and manage distribution of pellets, plans to build an outdoor silo system and make building upgrades to the former GAMM building, a 20,000-square-foot structure on a 4.7-acre parcel of land. Earlier this year, Bethel voters authorized selectman to lease the land for two years at $42,500 per year to the wood pellet start-up, according to the Sun Journal in Lewiston. (Read Mainebiz’s recent profile of Otten, “Into the fire,” for more on his plans for his new business.)
Changes to the property await approval from the Federal Aviation Administration because of the height of the silos, but if construction moves forward as planned, Maine Energy Systems expects to be operating by early fall.
