Amador Water Agency Dedicates New Hydroelectric Generation Plant
August 30, 2016
GREEN ENERGY FROM WATER POWER SAVES AWA RATEPAYERS MONEY
AWA Dedicates New Hydroelectric Generation Plant
Contact: Gene Mancebo, General Manager
Amador Water Agency, 209-223-3018
August 30, 2016
PHOTO BELOW: Amador Water Agency Directors, staff, county supervisors and construction contractors gathered at AWA headquarters in Sutter Creek to dedicate a new hydroelectric generating plant designed to reduce AWA power bills. The small turbine is attached to a large pipeline and generates up to 580,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity annually – more than enough to power the AWA water treatment plant and adjacent offices and maintenance facility.
(Sutter Creek) Amador Water Agency Directors Thursday lit up an electric light display and cut the ceremonial ribbon to dedicate a new hydroelectric generation plant at AWA headquarters. Electricity produced will offset power bills at the Amador Water Agency headquarters and generate additional revenue.
“This project will save the Agency an estimated $4 million in electricity costs over 30 years, helping us keep costs down for ratepayers,” said AWA Board President Robert Manassero. California electricity prices have increased 6 – 8% annually — more than 45 percent — since 2000.
A small turbine is attached to a large Water Agency pipeline carrying raw water from Lake Tabeaud to the Tanner Water Treatment plant on Ridge Road in Sutter Hill.
The turbine uses the pipeline water flow and excess pressure at the water treatment plant to generate up to 580,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity annually – more than enough to power the AWA water treatment plant and adjacent offices and maintenance facility.
Running the turbine will have no impact on the quantity or quality of the water used to power the generator. By switching to a “green” power source, the Agency will avoid producing the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions as 33 households in a year.
Construction costs were funded by a $1.45 million loan from the County of Amador and will be repaid by power cost savings and rebates. The project also qualified for a $134,000 state grant.
AWA acted as the Construction Manager on the project; Campbell Construction of Sutter Creek was the contractor. Project design and construction oversight was provided by NLine Energy Inc., a renewable energy development company headquartered in El Dorado Hills.
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