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Tacoma Power’s project to rebuild two generators at Mossyrock Dam stands out as a top renewable energy project and is a finalist for the Utility Scale Renewables Award from RenewableEnergyWorld.com and Renewable Energy World magazine, according to a news release. The publications’ audiences and utility customers will select the “Readers’ Choice” winner.
The Utility Scale Renewables Award recognizes projects, technologies or programs that represent a renewable energy program for customers, an innovative project or a technology that allows utility-sized projects to improve performance. Four other utilities were named as finalists for the award.
This $50 million Mossyrock Hydro Rebuild Project includes replacing the turbine runners, wicket gates and transformers and rebuilding the generators for two, 150-megawatt hydroelectric generating units that Tacoma Power originally put into service in 1968. The new, stainless steel runners, along with the other improvements, will provide approximately 3 percent more energy with the same amount of water – enough to serve about 2,500 additional northwest homes with clean, renewable hydroelectric energy.
Winners will be announced at the Renewable Energy World North America Conference & Expo, which will take place in Austin, Texas from Feb. 23 to 25.
Completed in 1968, Mossyrock Dam stands 606 feet from bedrock and is Washington’s tallest dam. It produces enough electricity to serve more than 78,000 Northwest homes. This double curvature concrete arch dam has three penstocks between 248 to 285 feet in length that extend down to the powerhouse, which is adjacent to the base of the dam. The powerhouse contains two turbine generators and has room for a third.
Tacoma Power serves 168,000 customers in Tacoma, University Place, Fircrest and portions of Fife, Lakewood, Federal Way, Steilacoom, Fort Lewis, McChord Air Force Base and other portions of Pierce County. The utility includes five divisions: Transmission and Distribution, Generation, Rates, Planning and Analysis, Power Management and Click! Network.
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