Spill Release At WAC Bennett Dam First In Decade
The spill began at the WAC Bennett Dam on June 26th, 2012 photo courtesy BC Hydro
Prince George, BC – For the first time in 10 years, BC Hydro has been spilling water at both the WAC Bennett Dam, as well as its facility downstream on the Peace River, the Peace Canyon Dam, in light of significant water levels in the Williston Lake reservoir.
According to BC Hydro’s Manager of Community Relations for the Northern Region, the amount of snowmelt and rainfall pooling into the reservoir over the month of June has been more than three times what the utility can discharge through its powerhouse, when generating at full output with its turbines.
As a result, in addition to maintaining that maximum powerhouse output, Bob Gammer says spilling began at both facilities on June 26th and could potentially continue into mid-August, depending on rainfall amounts.
"It’s the first time since 2002 that we have had a prolonged spill at either facility," says Gammer. "There are very small spills for much shorter periods of time – like, maybe an hour from time to time – to test spillway equipment or to flush debris out of the spillway at the Bennett Dam, but those are very brief."
With water being released from the spillways and continuing to flow through the turbines, flows on the Peace River peaked at 106-thousand cubic feet – or 50-percent more than the normal maximum output – but, Gammer, says that peak was for an hour or two, at most. More typically, the flows have been in the range of between 75-thousand to 100-thousand cubic feet per second since spilling bega,n compared to the normal maximum output rate of 70-thousand.
"(So far) it’s gone pretty much as we’d hoped, we do know that this spill is going to create higher water conditions than people are used to seeing on the Peace River," says Gammer.
"We don’t want to spill, normally, because that’s wasting energy – we want to capture that water – but there’s been so much that we can’t contain it all in the reservoir," he says. "As large as Williston is, we need to spill at this time."
Comments
So the obvious question is why are we not generating more power?
Lol and where should we store it, in battery banks in your local neighbourhood? If there isn’t a demand for power you just can’t send it down the line. Even with all turbines running you have to release water if there is too much water in the reservoir.
“So the obvious question is why are we not generating more power?”
“As a result, in addition to maintaining that maximum powerhouse output, Bob Gammer says spilling began at both facilities on June 26th and could potentially continue into mid-August, depending on rainfall amounts.”
The obvious question now is, why arent you reading the article closer before posting?
The answer to the obvious question is that the reservoir capacity and the turbine capacity have been designed not for maximum precipitation in the watershed and not for minimum preciptitation but for somewhere in between based on Hydro electric generating capacity design criteria.
It seems to me that if this is the frequency of major release requirements at this time of year, depending on the frequency of not being able to run at close to maximum capacity during lower than normal precipitation years, they likely have “right-sized” the facility.
Of course, climate does change over the years, which, of course, one typically cannot foresee.
Yes higher than normal volumes of water into the reservoir from the snow melt and rain, but I wonder how much of the high storage levels are also from Hydro being forced to buy expensive power from the IPP’s over their much cheaper power. This would hamper Hydro from using their generation to the max to put a hole in the reservoir in anticipation of high runoff thus possibly lessening the amount of spill.
I thought climate change is foreseen these days.
seamutt….. read coastb’s post above. It obviously applies to you as well……
Ya but read mine again about having a hole as its called in the reservoir. Might have been a bigger hole if it was not for the IPP’s,thus possibly less of a spill.
“I thought climate change is foreseen these days.”
Not when the generating facility was built. There is not much that is adjustable in such facilities, or do you not realize that?
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“As a result, in addition to maintaining that maximum powerhouse output, Bob Gammer says spilling began at both facilities on June 26th and could potentially continue into mid-August, depending on rainfall amounts.”
So, seamutt, you figure this person is lying thought his teeth is all I can figure if you keep on with the assumptions you are making.
Prove you point, because there is nothing in the above to indicate that is what is going on!
What is the most obvious is some of you people really need to get a life…
omygod obviously has a life consisting of trying to be god to all and directing them how to lead their life ….
only god can be judgemental, right omygod?
You mean some poster (omygod) has an omy complex ?
Actually it is due to the power that had to be purchased from the IPP’s with the run of the river generating stations who can’t pond the water at all. We had to purchase that power, at above market values, while then having to spill cause the generators weren’t used at Peace Canyon and the Bennet dam.
What is missing is how BC Hydro has had to spill water so to honor the Liberals deals to private power producers in this province.
“The generators weren’t used” ? I would guess that 80% of the turbines are turning (always one being serviced at the Bennett dam) because of the heat wave covering BC. Lots of air conditioners working and computers reading Oplnion 250.
We are also on the same power grid as Washington, Oregon and California.
Gus read my post again. Hydro builds a hole in a reservoir in anticipation of projected runoff to try and avoid a spill which is a waste of water for generation. Sometimes, as this year the runoff is to the extent that a spill is required.
Now if Hydro was not forced to buy power from the IPP’s thus having to cut back on their own much cheaper generation could the lake have been lower thus shortening the spill time. Others seem to get it.
You will find that information in the Tyee of which you have quoted in the past.
Cite C cost 10 billion, IPP contracts 60 billion, such a deal. Site has to be built to back up the IPP’s for when they have no water or wind. So instead of just building site C we get hit for site C and IPP’s. The backup information is right from the road show Hydro had in town here awhile back.
You guys do realize that it was a very nice day outside today…I hope you didn`t miss it.
I think Hydro should summon the Sheri Green “expert” the city used regarding the Fraser this spring. They would build a dike to the McKenzie River at a small cost to the taxpayers of BC. Then justify it with: “we are not prepared to gamble with Mother Nature”.
omygod why are you here then?
We have windows. It was a very nice day whether inside or outside.
I was sitting on the deck for part of the time. It is amazing what one can do with wireless internet these days.
Do you think everyone who texts is sitting in a dark dingy room at home? Then there are tablets, right runner46? … and those who sit as Starbucks all day getting a PG tan that rivals anything that can be gotten on a beach in California and play with all their electronic toys e-reader, tablet, i-phone, and battery pack to recharge a divice that may have been overused.
Now, I must confess, I went to the lower bowels of the house for a while to catch some below 25C temps for a while on a hot day … ;-)
You guys and your IPP conspiracies …..
Do you have the electic generating record of the record of dam to prove you point, or are you just mouthing off, as usual?
So I goes to the Hydro site to look at the Shrum generating station info and discover that.
1. Since the late 1990s, BC Hydro has depended on electricity imports to meet the demand for power.
2. The Gordon M. Shrum (GMS) Generating Station supplies about 24 per cent of all of BC Hydro’s installed generation capacity
3. Projects on eight of the 10 generating units at GMS, including the replacement of turbines in five units. The turbine replacement will add 177 gigawatt hours of energy per year to the system â enough to power 1,500 homes â without using additional water
4. We are now forecasting that the provinceâs electricity needs will grow by as much as 40 per cent over the next 20 years, due to industrial activity, general economic growth and electrification.
In summary, they submit that BC Hydro will keep meeting the electricity needs of British Columbians today and for future generations by:
– Upgrading our existing facilities;
– Securing new supplies of clean energy;
– Building new transmission and distribution infrastructure:
– Encouraging conservation and energy efficiency.
So, which part of that is BS you IPP conspiracy people and prove it while you are at it.
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