Dams power down in the largest US dam removal

[gremlin]

now this is funny. getting rid of dams out west and building them in the east


http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/m ... -projects/

NEWBURGH — A Utah company has submitted license applications to develop hydroelectric generation units at the Newburgh and J.T. Myers (Uniontown) dams on the Ohio River.

Costing more than $200 million each, the proposed plants would generate electricity to be sold to electric utilities in the region.

The license application from project sponsor Symbiotics LLC estimates the average cost of its power at 16.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. That's substantially higher than current retail prices for electricity.

But Marty Littrel, a spokesman for Henderson-based power generator Big Rivers Electric Corp., noted that the availability of hydroelectric power — even at a higher price — might be attractive to area electric companies should the government ever require utilities to have a certain amount of the power portfolio come from renewable sources.

Littrel said Big Rivers' power generation executives weren't familiar with Symbiotics proposed projects. Various companies have conducted studies in the past of possible hydroelectric projects at Ohio River dams.

But, Littrel said, "They have never been cost-effective considering our proximity to coal, and (hydroelectricity) cannot be consistent, reliable power."

Symbiotics acknowledged in its license application that for a variety of reasons, its proposed Newburgh hydroelectric project would, on average, produce only 34 percent of its generating capacity. Its projected generation during March would be only one-sixth as much as during July.

Nonetheless, American Municipal Power Inc. — a nonprofit company that generates electricity for 128 municipal utilities — has begun construction of Ohio River hydroelectric projects at the Cannelton Dam near Hawesville, Ky., and the Smithland Dam at Smithland, Ky.

A representative of Symbiotics didn't return a phone call seeking comment. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toronto-based Riverbank Power, which, according to its website, is pursuing development of a dozen hydro projects around the country.

If granted a license by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Symbiotics estimates it would take up to one year to design one of the run-of-the-river hydro plants and two to three years to construct.

The Newburgh project, proposed to be built on the Kentucky bank of the river in the Scuffletown bottoms of eastern Henderson County, is estimated at nearly $259 million.

The 215-foot-long, 167-foot-wide powerhouse would consist of three turbine generators with a combined generation capacity of 56.7 megawatts of electricity. That's approximately half of the peak summertime power demand at Henderson Municipal Power and Light.

However, actual production would vary depending on the plans of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — which owns the dams and regulates pool levels on the river — for allowing water to be discharged. The license application indicates the power plant would operate at peak capacity on only 152 days per year, with the greatest power output from May through October and the lowest production from January through April.

The Newburgh hydroelectric plant would be connected by a 5.3-mile-long transmission line to a Vectren Corp. substation at Vectren's Culley power plant near Alcoa Warrick Operations.

"We are aware of their proposal but we have not met with them yet," Vectren spokesman Mike Roeder said Friday. "We'll be interested in meeting with them and learning what they're attempting to do and how they would interconnect with us."

The Uniontown project is estimated to cost nearly $226.6 million, and its powerhouse would have generating capacity of 66.7 megawatts, which would be piped by transmission line to a substation at Vectren's A.B. Brown power plant between Evansville and Mount Vernon, Ind.

It is proposed to be constructed on the Kentucky side of the river west of the city of Uniontown.

Like the Newburgh powerhouse, the Uniontown plant would generate the most electricity in the summer and fall and least in the winter and spring.

Another hydroelectric project is under construction at the Cannelton Dam near Hawesville, Ky. That 88 megawatt project is being development by American Municipal Power Inc.

The license applications are available for public viewing at the Henderson County Public Library, according to legal notices that have been running in The Gleaner.

The 556-page Newburgh application also can be downloaded at www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp (click the link "General Search" and search for project 12962 in the "Docket Number" field.

The 727-page Uniontown application can be downloaded there by searching for project 12958.

[Azsunshade]

Now I'm not a real smart guy but, don't the salmon return to where they were spawn in order to re-spawn? And, if so, are there any salmon living today that will remember that they were born 100 years ago above this dam?

[russau]

they will have to transport them to their new home so they remember where they came from. or they could deliver them to me by my big bar-b-q grill and i could invite everyone over for lunch!

[Azsunshade]

Sounds like playing God to me when are they going to learn

[russau]

as long as the dems have the rains, theyll do what ever the wacoenviromentalists want them todo! Gary i sure wish i had bought your little 2 1/2 Proline when you had it forsale!ohwell, snozze, you lose! hey when you going to come up to Wyoming with us??we will be there July for 2 weeks hopefully!

[golden optimist]

I talked to Cathy the other night. I'll know in the next 2 weeks if they are coming. It would be better next year. Russ, Lee, and a few other die hards will be there this year. All arrangements will be up in the air as the logging going on the flats is a unknown.
Leonard

[dickb]

Hi GO:
I would think that a phone call to the FS Ranger over that area could answer any question as to whether the FS campground is open or how the logging is affecting you access to your claim. I would expect that even if they are re-doing the bridge, they may have a temp bridge set up for the log trucks and the people that live west of that bridge to use. I would not be suprised if they are using the flats as a staging area for the logs and equipment.

Wish I could make it up there this year, but it's not in the cards, other commitments have priority. I'm going to try and do it next year if I can.

Have a good time and stay safe.

Dickb

[russau]

Dick there arent anyone living on the other side of that bridge. that bridge leads only to the flats and some claims downstream.

[golden optimist]

Hi GO:
I would think that a phone call to the FS Ranger over that area could answer any question as to whether the FS campground is open or how the logging is affecting you access to your claim. I would expect that even if they are re-doing the bridge, they may have a temp bridge set up for the log trucks and the people that live west of that bridge to use. I would not be suprised if they are using the flats as a staging area for the logs and equipment.

Wish I could make it up there this year, but it's not in the cards, other commitments have priority. I'm going to try and do it next year if I can.

Have a good time and stay safe.

Dickb

The story is the bridge will be replaced before they start the logging. I would guess thats in the next couple of weeks. Take a look at the Keystone web cams at http://dayweather.com/keystone/weathertext.html There is still a lot of snow there. Bobbie Thompson will be open but when you consider the number of people that are normally there, the 15 camping spots won't go far. We are planning on camping just past the point and up the hill on the right before you get to the creek on the gpaa claims. We'll still have access to the claim but it won't be as nice as last year with camping on the flats.

The details should be available in 2 weeks. The CCC will be ther for 10 days or so.
Leonard

[dickb]

You guys and gals are gonna need a lot of anti-freeze to keep the pipes from freezing up. That water at Rob Roy sure looks cold.

Could be that when you get there that all that logging won't be that far underway. If there going to replace the bridge first, then the logging may not start till late summer and fall. Keep your fingers and toes crossed. Better take lots of blankets and LOTTS of Anti-freeze. A couple cigars might not hurt either.

Dickb