Friday, October 19, 2012

Uprating Hydropower

The uprating of existing hydroelectric generator and turbine units at power plants is one of the most immediate, cost-effective, and environmentally acceptable means of developing additional electric power. Since 1978, Reclamation has pursued an aggressive uprating program which has added more than 1,600,000 kW to Reclamation's capacity at an average cost of $69 per kilowatt. This compares to an average cost for providing new peaking capacity through oil-fired generators of more than $400 per kilowatt. Reclamation's uprating program has essentially provided the equivalent of another major hydroelectric facility of the approximate magnitude of Hoover Dam and Power plant at a fraction of the cost and impact on the environment when compared to any other means of providing new generation capacity.

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