Additional Capacity from Hydroelectric Plants Seen as a Growing Trend

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Info Resources; Houston, Texas). Together, coal and natural gas provide 68% of the electricity (50% coal, 18% natural gas) generated in the United States. Nuclear generation adds another 19%. Hydroelectric is fourth largest driver of electrical generation in the country, contributing about 6.5% of the total electricity. But, with ever tightening clean air standards, global warming, and high fuel prices, hydroelectric sourced plants are poised as an economical alternative. And since grassroot hydroelectric power plants are difficult to permit, the development of new technologies to optimize existing hydroelectric resources is aggresively being pursued.

It is expected that owners of hydroelectric plants will spend into the hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming years to upgrade existing plants through incremental capacity increases and equipment replacements to improve efficiency. An example of this trend can be seen in a sample of thirteen projects tracked by Industrial Info Resources, representing over $300 million.

New York Power Authority (White Plains, New York), the largest state-owned power organization in the U.S., plans to spend $135-million on a modernization project at the 1,000-megawatt Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped-Storage Power Station (Gilboa, New York). The plant consists of four 250-megawatt Hitachi turbines with General Electric generators that became operational in 1973. The units will be upgraded by having the water wheels replaced, along with wicket gates, stators, and other auxiliary components.

Hitachi America Limited (Tarrytown, New York) is providing engineering service, with the first unit scheduled for kick-off this fall. The project is expected to complete mid 2010.

Refurbishment is also scheduled fall 2006 on a 78-megawatt Unit #4 at Public Utility District No.1 of Douglas County’s (Pateros, Washington) Wells Hydro Power Station (Pateros, Washington), to be followed by Unit #7 in 2007. Eventually, all units will need to be refurbished on the 10-unit, 840-megawatt plant.

Idaho Power Company (Boise, Idaho) is planning to upgrade its Shoshone Falls Hydro Station (Twin Falls, Idaho) in the fall of 2007. The $80-million project is to remove two existing units, Unit #1 at .4-megawatts and Unit #2 at .6-megawatts, and install a 35-megawatt unit to increase the plant’s capacity. The project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2009.

To extend the life of the thirty-three year-old Jocassee Hydro Power Station (Salem, North Carolina), Duke Power Company (Charlotte, North Carolina) plans to refurbish the four 153-megawatt General Electric turbines/generators by replacing the runners and rewinding the generators, beginning in 2008.

Rebuilding also starts in 2008 at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Portland, Oregon) Lookout Point Hydro Power Station (Lowell, Oregon) and continues through 2012 on the 3-unit plant. Upgrades will include replacing the penstocks, runners, governors, and pumps to extend units lives.

Pacific Power & Light Company (Ariel, Washington), a subsidiary of PacifiCorp (Portland, Oregon), is scheduled to upgrade its Swift Hydro Power Station (Cougar, Washington) and Yale Hydro Power Station (Amboy, Washington) in 2009 and 2010.

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Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a Marketing Information Service company that has been doing business for over 22 years. IIR is respected as the leader in providing comprehensive market intelligence pertaining to the industrial processing, heavy manufacturing, and energy-related industries throughout the world.