DOE to Invest $30.6M to Upgrade Hydropower Infrastructure

November 24, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS

The selections will deploy technologies such as fish-friendly turbines, improved water intakes and advanced control systems in order to increase power generation, according to the DOE.

The DOE sought cost-shared projects that upgrade existing hydropower facilities without requiring civil works modifications to dams. The solicitation sought two classes of projects: those larger than 50 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity and those of 50 MW or smaller.

The following projects were selected for negotiation of awards for the amount listed:

Hydropower Upgrades for Projects Larger than 50 MW

• Alabama Power Co. - Up to $6 million for a project in Mitchell, Ala. that is designed to increase efficiency and upgrade four units at three hydroelectric plants on the Coosa River by replacing 1940s to 1960s vintage turbines with new stainless steel turbines and runners that maximize each unit's ability to use the limited available water. Generation will increase by 36,087 MWh annually (7.3% increase).
• Alcoa Inc. - Up to $13 million for a project in Robbinsville, N.C. to replace four 90-year-old Francis Turbines with four new stainless steel turbines, generators and transformers, providing an additional 22 MW of generating capacity at Alcoa's Tapoco Cheoah plant. Annual generation would increase by 95,000 MWh (23% increase) and the project would reduce the likelihood of an oil spill into the river with the replacement of water cooled transformers and removal of lead and asbestos from all four generating units.
• City of Tacoma, Department of Public Utilities - Up to $4.67 million for a project in Potlatch, Wash. to add two 1.8 MW Francis Turbines to the existing 81 MW Cushman No. 2 Dam, adding 23,500 MWh of annual generation (14% increase) and 3.6 MW of capacity. In addition, the project will incorporate an upstream fish collection pool to enable reintroduction of native fish above the dam.

• City of Boulder, Colo. - Up to $1.18 million for a project in Boulder, Colo. to upgrade the 100-year-old Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project by replacing two older turbines with a single unit. The new turbine is expected to operate at a wider range of flows and higher efficiency ranges, resulting in an increase in annual generation of 11,000 MWh (30% increase).
• Energy Northwest - Up to $800,000 for a project in Packwood, Wash. to design, manufacture and install a new Pelton Wheel Turbine at the Packwood Lake Hydroelectric facility. The new turbine is designed to increase annual generation by 5,868 MWh (6% increase), benefit the local fish population and create more sustainable habitat conditions downstream.
• Incorporated County of Los Alamos, N.M. - Up to $4.56 million for a project in Los Alamos, N.M. to add a low flow turbine/generator to the 13.8 MW hydroelectric plant in Abiquiu, N.M., increasing the total plant capacity by 3 MW and allowing the dam to operate when releases are below or above the capacity of the two existing turbines. The upgrade will increase annual generation by 6,462 MWh (22% increase). The project's environmental benefits include higher dissolved oxygen content in downstream water and increased minimum flows.
• North Little Rock Electric Department - Up to $450,000 for a project in Little Rock, Ark. to install an automated intake maintenance device at its 39 MW hydroelectric facility on the Arkansas River to clear debris currently obstructing the intake and allow the facility to operate at near peak efficiency and reduce the cost of dredging. Air pollution would be reduced in a nonattainment air basin as the debris was previously burned for removal.

Additionally, upgrading existing hydro facilities in this way is an inexpensive way to provide renewable energy: the estimated cost of the added generation is less than 4 cents per kWh on average, placing incremental hydro among the most inexpensive sources of renewable energy, according to DOE.

Following negotiation of final funding amounts, projects are expected to begin in 2010.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).