Formally called the Mactaquac Generating Station, the dam and power house are located approximately 19 km (12 mi) upstream from the city of Fredericton.

The dam and powerhouse are a "run of the river" design, meaning that the reservoir has no additional holding capacity in the event of unusually high water flows, such as during the spring freshet.

Kingsclear, NB is the site of an Atlantic Salmon fish hatchery, located immediately downstream from the dam.

The planned town of Nackawic-Millville, New Brunswick and the nearby St. Anne Nackawic pulp and paper mill were also built to accommodate the new reservoir and the new electrical power opportunities.

Following the success of preserving historic buildings at Upper Canada Village when the upper St. Lawrence River valley was flooded by the Long Sault Dam, the government of New Brunswick created the King's Landing Historical Settlement to save several buildings which would otherwise have been flooded by the Mactaquac Headpond.

While some local residents were pleased by the announcement, the Kingsclear Maliseet First Nation, located on the riverbank opposite the dam, were "deeply disappointed".

The Quebec utility will provide assistance with repairing AAR damage to the concrete structures, reducing the cost of renovating the dam.