BELLEVUE, Wash.–()–One of the Pacific Northwest’s oldest power plants, the historic
Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Project, is once again producing
electricity for local homes and businesses following a three-year,
top-to-bottom overhaul.
“The Snoqualmie Falls project was an engineering marvel when built in
the late 19th century”
Puget Sound Energy’s 102-year-old Plant 2 powerhouse at Snoqualmie
Falls, idled in June 2010, last week restarted commercial generation of
electricity. Located about a quarter mile downstream from the falls, the
plant underwent near-total reconstruction under a new, 40-year federal
operating license.
The energy site’s Plant 1 powerhouse – just upstream from the falls in a
bedrock cavity almost 270 feet underground – also is getting a
comprehensive makeover. Built in 1898-99, the elder powerhouse is
scheduled to resume electric generation in July.
“The Snoqualmie Falls project was an engineering marvel when built in
the late 19th century,” said Paul Wiegand, PSE senior vice
president of Energy Operations. “The redevelopment of its backbone
infrastructure truly marks the renewal of a renewable resource for our
customers and our region.”
Once Plant 1 comes online this summer, Snoqualmie Falls’ generating
capacity will be 54 megawatts, compared to about 44 MW previously. The
increased output, enough to serve about 40,000 homes, is being achieved
through greater plant efficiencies; no additional water will run through
the project’s seven turbines.
Besides the upgrades to Snoqualmie Falls’ power-generating
infrastructure, PSE is nearing completion of major improvements to
Snoqualmie Falls Park, including a new visitor center that will showcase
historical artifacts, documents and photos, and interpretive displays. A
celebration of the energy facility’s redevelopment is planned for late
summer.
Key upgrades made at Plant 2 include:
-
A new steel and concrete intake structure along the river’s edge for
channeling water into a 1,215-foot-long underground tunnel that runs
beneath the Salish Lodge and the upper portion of Snoqualmie Falls
Park; - Relining of the 12-foot-diameter, underground tunnel;
-
A new Gate House that controls water flow from the tunnel to large,
above-ground pipes, or “penstocks,” which carry the water more than
1,100 feet down a steep hillside to the Plant 2 powerhouse; -
One new, 7-foot-diameter penstock and one upgraded penstock for
delivering water to Plant 2; -
A completely rebuilt powerhouse building, reflecting the original
structure’s design; -
A new, 13.7-megawatt turbine-generator, replacing the plant’s
original, 1910 turbine (the plant’s 1957-vintage, 26.5-MW
turbine-generator remains in use); and -
A new bypass flow-control system, housed inside the new powerhouse,
for ensuring public safety and maintaining consistent downstream flows
for fish if an emergency shutdown of power generation were to occur.
You can find more
information about the redevelopment effort, including fact sheets,
recent photos and video, on PSE.com.
About Puget Sound Energy
Washington state’s oldest local energy utility, Puget Sound Energy
serves 1.1 million electric customers and more than 760,000 natural gas
customers in 10 counties. PSE meets the energy needs of its customers,
in part, through cost-effective energy efficiency, procurement of
sustainable energy resources, and far-sighted investment in
energy-delivery infrastructure. PSE employees are dedicated to providing
great customer service that is safe, dependable and efficient. For more
information, visit www.PSE.com,
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