GE Renewable Energy’s Hydropower business has been selected by US-based publicly owned utility Seattle City Light (SCL) to rebuild three generators in the powerhouse of the Boundary Dam in the US.
Image: The Boundary Dam in Northeastern Washington State. Photo: courtesy of General Electric.
Located on the Pend Oreille River in Northeastern Washington State, the Boundary plant accounts to up to 30% of SCL’s annual energy needs.
Under the contract, GE will be responsible for the refurbishment of powerhouse generators 51, 52, and 54 (3x145MVA) as well as engineering and site work.
The project is expected to improve the output of the generators from 166MVA (generators 51 and 53) and 170MVA (generator 52) to 190MVA in addition to reducing power loses and enhancing grid stability.
The rehabilitation project, which is planned to be managed by GE Renewable Energy’s teams based in Denver, Colorado and Brossard, Canada, is expected to allow reliable operation of the dam for the next 40 years.
GE Renewable Energy’s Hydro business North America general manager Pierre Marx said: “We appreciate the confidence that Seattle City Light & Eugene Water & Electric Board have shown in GE Renewable Energy. Our teams in Brossard, Canada and Denver, Colorado, are working closely with our customers to deliver the best outcomes to them.
“It is more important than ever to keep the US hydro fleet operating at full capacity given its critical role in maintaining stable and efficient electric service while enabling the addition of other renewable power sources like wind and solar.”
GE plans to begin onsite work on the generators for the project in July 2019 and complete by May 2022.
Earlier this year, GE Renewable Energy was selected by the Eugene Water & Electric Board, a public utility serving the Eugene, Oregon area, to rehabilitate two turbine-generator units, each with 50MW capacity, on the Carmen Smith Hydroelectric Project.
The firm plans to complete work on the first unit by the end of 2020 followed by second unit by the end of 2021.