Overview of UC Region Powerplant Ownership & Operation
bank of Cottonwood Creek, west-central CO
There are 28 hydroelectric powerplants, including one under construction, at Reclamation projects in the Upper Colorado Region. Of the 28 powerplants, 20 are owned by Reclamation and eight are owned by private entities either under a lease of power privilege (Lease) issued by Reclamation or by a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The distinction between a Lease and a FERC license is that a FERC license may be issued at a Reclamation project where the development of power is not an authorized purpose of the Reclamation project. The FERC is an agency of the United States Department of Energy, and among other things, has jurisdiction over hydroelectric licensing in the United States except at those Reclamation projects where Congress has given authority to Reclamation.
Of the nine powerplants owned and operated by Reclamation, the Power Office’s Flaming Gorge Field Division operates and maintains the facilities associated with the Flaming Gorge and Fontenelle Powerplants; the Curecanti Field Division operates and maintains the facilities associated with the Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, Crystal, Upper Molina and Lower Molina Powerplants; and the Glen Canyon Field Division operates and maintains the facilities associated with the Glen Canyon Powerplant. The Elephant Butte Powerplant is operated and maintained by the Elephant Butte Field Division of the Albuquerque Area Office.
UC Region Hydroelectric Powerplants Owned and Operated by Reclamation
| Project | Powerplant | State | River | Initial Date In Service | Number of Units | Installed Capacity (kW) |
| Collbran | Lower Molina Upper Molina |
Colorado Colorado |
Pipeline Pipeline |
12/62 12/62 |
1 1 |
4,860 8,640 |
| Colorado River Storage Project | Blue Mesa Crystal Morrow Point Flaming Gorge Glen Canyon |
Colorado Colorado Colorado Utah Arizona |
Gunnison Gunnison Gunnison Green Colorado |
9/67 8/78 12/70 11/63 9/64 |
2 1 2 3 8 |
86,400 31,500 165,000 151,490 1,320,000 |
| Rio Grande | Elephant Butte | New Mexico | Rio Grande | 12/40 | 3 | 27,900 |
| Seedskadee | Fontenelle | Wyoming | Green | 5/68 | 1 | 10,000 |
Powerplants Owned by Reclamation - O & M by Contract
| Project | Powerplant | State | River | Initial Date In Service | Number of Units | Installed Capacity (kW) |
| Central Utah | Olmsted | Utah | Pipeline | 3 | 10,300 | |
| Dolores | McPhee Towaoc |
Colorado Colorado |
Dolores Canal |
1 1 |
1,283 11,495 |
|
| Provo River | Deer Creek | Utah | Provo | 2 | 4,950 | |
| Strawberry | Upper Strawberry Lower Strawberry Payson |
Utah Utah Utah |
Canal Canal Pipeline |
2 1 1 |
3,500 250 400 |
|
| Weber Basin | Gateway Wanship Causey |
Utah Utah Utah |
Canal Weber Ogden |
2 1 2 |
4,500 1,950 2,200 |
Lease of Power Privilege Powerplants
| Project | Powerplant | State | River | Initial Date In Service | Number of Units | Installed Capacity (kW) |
| Central Utah | Jordanelle | Utah | Provo | 2 | 13,000 | |
| Grand Valley | Grand Valley | Colorado | Canal | 2 | 3,000 | |
| Florida | Lemon | Colorado | Florida | 1 | 120 | |
| Mancos | Jackson Gulch | Colorado | Canal | 1 | 260 |
FERC Licensed Powerplants
| Project | Powerplant | State | River | Initial Date In Service | Number of Units | Installed Capacity (kW) |
| CRSP | Navajo | New Mexico | San Juan | 2 | 30,000 | |
| Middle Rio Grande | El Vado | New Mexico | Rio Chama | 1 | 8,000 | |
| Ogden River | Pineview | Utah | Ogden | 1 | 1,800 | |
| Pine River | Vallecito | Colorado | Pine River | 3 | 5,844 | |
| Weber River | Echo | Utah | Weber | 3 | 4,500 |