Washington Hydro Owners Continue to Invest Millions on New Development and Plant Upgrades

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). Of all the renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass, that generate electricity, hydroelectric power is the oldest and largest contributor. Over one half of the total U.S. hydroelectric capacity for electric generation is concentrated in three states: Washington, California, and Oregon. While maybe not as topical as other developing renewable technologies, there is a substantial amount of project work to expand and replace the nation's aging hydroelectric fleet.

For example, Puget Sound Energy (Bellevue, Washington) plans to invest approximately $35 million to install two additional 25-megawatt hydro turbine/generator sets to its 70-megawatt Lower Baker River Hydro Power Station (Concrete, Washington). Preliminary design is still being developed on the 2010 project. A design firm will be chosen later this year and completion is scheduled for 2012.

The Public Utility District of Grant County (Beverly, Washington) will spend $250 million to upgrade its Priest Rapids Hydro Power Station (Othello, Washington) starting in 2008. The project scope is to replace ten 91-megawatt turbines with a more efficient, fish-friendly design plus perform upgrades to the generators, as is currently being done at its Wanapum Hydro Power Station (Beverly, Washington) (see related article on March 1, 2006 - West Coast power producers to spend $800-million on hydroelectric plant upgrades).

With new plants scheduled to be built, a brand spanking new one is in its final phase of completion. Constructed in 2005, Ross Management’s (Goldendale, Washington) 14-megawatt Tieton Hydro Power Station is scheduled to be operational sometime this summer.

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