News News Releases Archives October-December 2005

Commission approves new turbines at hydropower project; Washington State Project's power output to increase

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved the continued installation of nine new advanced turbine units for the Priest Rapids hydroelectric project on the Columbia River in Washington State, which is expected to increase the project's overall installed capacity.

The new advanced turbine units, developed by the Department of Energy, provide power benefits and improved survival of downstream migrating juvenile salmon. The installation and operation of these turbines represent the first commercial application of this technology.

Today's action follows the Commission's decision in July 2004 to allow the licensee for the project, Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County, to install one new advanced turbine and study the resulting power output and fish passage survival rates before proceeding with the installation of the remaining nine turbines. The overall results indicated that the average survival of juvenile Chinook salmon through the new turbine was at least as good as that of the existing turbines. The study also showed the new turbine increased generation by more than four percent over the existing turbines.

Grant County is expected to replace one of the remaining nine turbines every nine months.

R-05-85

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