Modernisation |
Right: A new software tool will help analyse the costs and benefits of modernising irrigation
j The two national labs began collaborating in 2018 to find ways that hydropower could enable modernisation benefits nationwide, especially across the Western United States, said PNNL researcher Bo Saulsbury. “It’s really exciting to provide a tool to help assess
and realise both short- and long-term benefits,” he said. “Near-term returns include more local jobs, higher profits for farmers, investments in rural communities and increased water supply for various uses. Reducing the carbon footprint of agricultural operations, increasing renewable energy generation and promoting environmental sustainability and community resilience are examples of long-term benefits.” Federal investment in water and irrigation projects
dates back nearly 150 years and is in large part responsible for establishing the rural economy in the US. A vast system of reservoirs, canals, headgates, levees and culverts provides water to roughly 18.7 million acres of farmland, serving one-third of the US population and generating half of the nation’s total crop revenue.
Below: Researchers shown working on IrrigationViz at Idaho National Laboratory’s Power and Energy Real-Time Laboratory in the US
Since the early 1970s, however, the country’s irrigation infrastructure has remained largely unchanged. Billions of dollars are lost every year by a system that, on average, loses about 30% of its water to seepage and evaporation. Meanwhile, the demand for water has grown, not just from irrigators but conservationists, recreationists, industry and municipalities.
Agriculture is a major user of groundwater and surface water in the US, accounting for approximately 37% of the nation’s consumptive water use and 80% in the West. Efficient irrigation systems and water management practices can help maintain farm profitability in an era of increasingly limited and more costly water supplies.
Recognising the economic constraints many canal companies and farmers face, WPTO says it is committed to offering irrigators the decision-making resources they need before they move forward with critical investments.
Coteau Creek
SaskPower in Canada will invest C$71 million over the next five years to extend the operational life of Coteau Creek Hydroelectric Station and provide renewable, zero-emission baseload power to Saskatchewan. Located on the South Saskatchewan River and built in 1969, Coteau Creek requires significant investment to extend the life of major equipment and continue to operate reliably and safely. The station is made up of three units that currently produce 62MW each. “SaskPower is on track to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 – and maintaining hydroelectric generation is a key part to this” said Howard Matthews, Vice President of Power Production at SaskPower. “Investing in Coteau Creak shows SaskPower’s commitment to providing clean, reliable power to the people of Saskatchewan.” The work includes C$59 million to upgrade and modernise the plant and is expected to be completed in early 2026. This will include repairs to generators and turbines at all three units and replacing nearly all mechanical, electrical and control systems In addition to the extension work, additional infrastructure improvements are planned to ensure safety and reliability, including C$12 million in upgrades to the plant’s security, heating and cooling systems, control room systems, and other projects. This work is expected to be completed in 2024.
Russian projects Mining and metallurgical company Norilsk Nickel,
the world’s largest producer of palladium and high- grade nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper, has recommissioned the Ust-Khantayskaya hydropower plant in Norilsk following modernisation. “Energy system modernisation is one of Nornickel’s
22 | January 2022 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
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