Ready, Set, Go! Testing Underway on New Hydropower Turbine Designed to Improve Fish Passage

Full scale testing has begun on new hydropower turbine technology designed to increase the survival rate of migratory fish. The state-of-the-art technology, which was installed this fall at Grant County Public Utility District's (PUD) Wanapum Dam on the Columbia River in the state of Washington, will also increase efficiency and power output.

"We are hopeful that the new turbine technology will perform as expected. If so, it will clearly be a win for everyone - electric consumers, the general public, and most important, migratory fish and our nation's rivers. We applaud Grant County PUD's decision to take a leadership role on this important matter. Their work in partnering with the Department of Energy on the Advanced Hydropower Turbine could lead to the virtual elimination of downstream fish passage issues," stated Linda Church Ciocci, executive director of the National Hydropower Association.

In their February 23 news release, Grant PUD reported the new turbine is expected to improve survival of young migrating salmon and steelhead moving down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The new design addresses the entire hydraulic passageway and incorporates many improvements and modifications to reduce fish injury and mortality. The design geometry focused on making water flow through the unit as smoothly as possible. After three designs and the most detailed turbine model testing ever, the state-of-the-art turbine is now in operation.

"We operate with the belief that power generation and fish protection are compatible and sustainable. That is why we put such a huge effort into the design and development of this new turbine," said Stephen Brown, Grant PUD director of natural resources and former chairman of NHA's R&D Committee.

The new six-bladed turbine is already living up to its promise. Early February testing showed a 14 percent increase in power output and an average three percent increase in water-use efficiency over conventional turbines. Fish passage testing began in mid-February, and will be completed prior to the spring fish migration period. Assuming the testing goes as expected, all ten Wanapum Dam turbines will be replaced over an eight-year period. Power output will increase from approximately 900 megawatts to 1,100 megawatts. The estimated cost of all ten turbines is $150 million.

During design development, NHA advocated for federal funding for the Department of Energy's (DOE) hydropower program, which resulted in $2.5 million provided to Grant PUD for design and testing of the Advanced Hydropower Turbine. Unfortunately, future funding is greatly in doubt. The Administration recently recommended to significantly reduce, then abolish, the DOE hydropower program at the end of 2006.

"While we understand the Administration's desire to reduce federal spending, the decision to reduce, then end, the DOE hydropower program must be reconsidered. This program's progress over the past decade in developing advanced turbine technologies is about to yield significant results that will lead to more clean and inexpensive hydropower while reducing impacts on fish. Once commercialized, these technologies will pay for themselves countless times over while reducing conflict and legal disputes," stated Ciocci. "We hope Congress will reconsider the Administration's decision and restore funding to the program and ensure that it is not abolished," she stated.

"As this year marks the 125th anniversary of hydropower in the United States, it is fitting that we embark on an ambitious new project that elevates the industry's commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint while providing clean, renewable, low-cost energy for millions of consumers. Success of this testing should lead to the enhancement of our existing hydropower infrastructure, as well as to the development of the nation's vast unused hydropower resources. We hope policymakers will see the importance of this work, as well as hydropower's unique value to a diverse national energy supply," added Ciocci.

NHA is the only national trade association committed exclusively to representing the hydropower industry. Its 140-plus members are a diverse mix of investor-owned utilities, public power companies, independent power producers, equipment suppliers, manufacturers, attorneys, and consultants. NHA has been based in Washington, DC since 1983. For additional information on the Advanced Turbine, visit the Grant PUD website at www.gcpud.org.