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from Pu‘u ‘Opae, through the Mana Powerhouse and its 20MW Pelton turbine to generate renewable power for the grid. The process will cycle between daytime pumping and nighttime generation perpetually. “Renewable energy and energy storage
are key components of the decarbonization movement,” said Carlos Araoz, vice president and managing director of Black & Veatch’s hydropower and hydraulic structures business line. “This project not only features renewable energy in the form of pumped storage hydropower, it couples it with solar energy and battery storage in a renewable energy program that will play a significant role in helping both the island of Kaua‘i and the state of Hawai‘i reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.” Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) signed
agreements with AES for the development, construction and operation of the cooperative’s solar pumped storage hydro project and a power purchase agreement (PPA) was executed and filed with the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission on December 31, 2020. As owner’s engineer, Black & Veatch will support AES in development of technical design criteria for hydropower and hydraulic structures of the project, providing design and constructability reviews, reviewing technical and procurement specifications, performing factory inspections and witnessing acceptance testing as well as providing construction and commissioning support and closing out the project.
US
Innergex and Hydro-Québec enter New York renewables market as they complete first joint acquisition Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. and HQI US Holding LLC, a subsidiary of Hydro-Québec, have completed the 50-50 joint acquisition of the 60MW Curtis Palmer hydroelectric portfolio in the US state of New York. The US$318.4 million acquisition includes two run-of-river hydroelectric facilities, Curtis Mills (12MW) and Palmer Falls (48 MW). Curtis Palmer has a power purchase agreement for energy, RECs and capacity with Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. The 5 employees currently working at the Facilities are joining the Innergex team.
“As the first acquisition made under the
Strategic Alliance with Hydro-Québec, Curtis Palmer is proof of the excellent collaboration between our teams and the full potential of the Strategic Alliance in Innergex’s growth strategy,” said Michel Letellier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Innergex. “Together, we will continue to join our forces and expertise and work on our shared purpose of increasing our presence in the energy transition and creating value with high-quality assets.” “Together with Innergex, we have embraced the opportunity to acquire strategic assets that will generate attractive returns for Québec, and
we continue to further our alliance. By investing directly in hydropower generation in New York, we are strengthening our business relationship with the state and pursuing our efforts to promote renewable energy in North America,” addedd Pierre Despars, Vice President – Corporate Strategy and Business Development for Hydro-Québec.
Global
New how-to guide puts spotlight on hydropower infrastructure safety
A new How-to Guide on Hydropower Infrastructure Safety has been published by the International Hydropower Association (IHA) to help developers and operators manage the impacts of hydropower development The guide explores potential hazards,
exposure, vulnerability, risks and dam safety in relation to public safety, legal and regulatory frameworks and bank requirements, to ensure safety and help projects to reach good international industry practice.
In additions it gives an overview of the benefits that hydropower infrastructure can provide in areas like water management, drought avoidance, mitigation against wildfires and improvement to public infrastructure such as roads. “Dam safety issues are a significant risk for any developer or operator,” commented João Costa, Head of Sustainability at IHA. “This new guide will help these key players better understand the potential safety impacts of their dams in order to protect the people in their catchment area, their assets and the local environment.” The How-to Guide on Infrastructure Safety is based on the internationally recognised Hydropower Sustainability Tools and can be downloaded here.
US
Repairs to start early 2022 on Glen Elder Dam
Ames Construction Inc has won a $41.2 million contract from the US Bureau of Reclamation for repairs at Glen Elder Dam in north central Kansas, with work set to begin in early 2022. The aging infrastructure requires high-quality
concrete replacement to repair the spillway chute floor. Repairs will ensure continued operation and protection for residents downstream of the dam. “Glen Elder Dam is critical to protecting the way of life in the surrounding communities,” Nebraska-Kansas Area Manager Aaron Thompson said. “The main purpose of the dam is flood control; we want to continue to safeguard these communities from potential disaster from Solomon River flooding for years to come.” Glen Elder Dam was approved under the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program to support flood control and irrigation efforts. Construction of the dam began in 1963,
6 | December 2021 |
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following devastating floods of 1951 that killed 17 people, exceeded $935 million in damages, and displaced more than half a million residents in Kansas and Missouri. Repairs are scheduled to be completed within
three years.
Paraguay Itaipu to power green hydrogen and ammonia production New state-of-the-art green hydrogen and ammonia production facilities are set to be built close to the Itaipu hydroelectric dam in Paraguay. UK company ATOME Energy has signed
an agreement with the Itaipu Binational Technology Park to invest in the facilities which will be located one kilometre from the Itaipu hydroelectric dam, with ample access to the power provided by the dam and easy access to the river for easy transport. The agreement signed between the two institutions aims at large-scale production of green hydrogen and ammonia. The company intends that production will be ramped up from an initial 50MW unit by the end of 2024, with plans for a gradual increase in production up to 250MW. ATOME Energy will simultaneously implement the same project in Iceland, where they will also have access to clean energy sources.
US
AP&T completes Gustavus intertie project Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve now has access to hydropower from the Falls Creek project in Gustavus, Alaska, following completion of the Gustavus intertie, Alaska Power & Telephone Company (AP&T) has announced. The Gustavus intertie is a federally-funded
project linking the National Park Service’s facilities in Glacier Bay to the Falls Creek hydropower project, saving the use of off-grid diesel generators which had associated high costs. The Falls Creek project is a “low impact,” run-of-the-river hydropower facility built in 2009. It was originally designed to meet the needs of the community of Gustavus, as well as replace diesel generation at off-grid National Park Service facilities. Because the community of Gustavus is an islanded “micro-grid,” additional energy purchases by the Park Service will be a tremendous help in spreading utility fixed costs over a greater of sales base, significantly reducing energy costs for consumers. As a result of the project, Gustavus customers
can expect to see significant cost-savings on their bills, which will reflect the NPS’s level of energy purchases. In addition to providing economic relief to
energy consumers of Gustavus – a remote community with very high cost of living – the project has tremendously positive
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