US Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation Oversee Billions of Dollars in HydroPower Projects

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (Washington D.C.) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) (Washington D.C.) are two of the largest managers of hydroelectric power in the world. The USBR manages 53 hydroelectric power plants with 176 generating units, with an installed capacity of more than 14,722 megawatts (MW). The USACE manages 75 hydroelectric plants, with 353 generating units, with an installed capacity of 20,475 MW.

Industrial Info is tracking 102 capital projects at USACE facilities valued at $3.8 billion dollars, with the largest market regions being the Southwest, with 21 projects valued at more than $1.2 billion dollars; the West Coast, with 33 projects valued at $993 million dollars; and the Midwest, with 20 projects valued at $672 million dollars.

Industrial Info is also tracking 29 USBR projects with a total investment value of $861 million. The top market regions for USBR projects are the West Coast, with 11 projects valued at $474 million dollars, and the Rocky Mountains, with 18 projects valued at $387 million dollars.

The USACE has identified millions of dollars in capital projects to modernize, refurbish and upgrade existing hydroelectric power plants in order to produce additional electricity, as well as to extend plant service lives. An example of a capital project such as this would be the replacement of a 1920-30 vintage original S Morgan Smith hydroelectric turbine with a modern aerating or auto venting turbine (AVT) to improve efficiency along with a generator rewind to produce additional megawatts.

Other USACE and USBR projects being tracked by Industrial Info involve Additional turbine modernizations and refurbishments, runner replacements, governor and exciter upgrades, control system upgrades, plant electrical service refurbishments to motor control centers, transformer and switchyards, generator rewinds, gate refurbishments, crane upgrades, and penstock repairs.

In 2009, the USACE initiated a Hydropower Modernization Initiative (HMI) to assess and prioritize capital investment needs at hydroelectric power plants across the country. These capital projects are currently moving forward and are being added to Industrial Info's database.

The USBR's 12-MW Emmett Hydro Black Canyon Dam Unit #3 Addition, located at Emmett, Idaho, has a total investment value of $16 million. The project involves the installation of a vertical Francis turbine generator and other equipment. Construction kickoff is scheduled for mid-2015, with completion in first-quarter 2016.

The USACE's Chatsworth Carter Pumped Storage Hydro Units #3 & #4 Generator 250-MW upgrade project, located at Chatsworth, Georgia, has a total investment value of $12 million. The USACE is working with National Electric Coil (Columbus, Ohio) on the preliminary engineering for the project, which is scheduled for construction kickoff in third-quarter 2015, with completion in fourth-quarter 2016.

For related information, see June 15, 2012, article - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Plans $100 Million in Hydroelectric Plant Activity through Second-Quarter 2016.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.