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Harnessing the Energy:. Bringing Together Your Hydropower Allies. Overview:. A little history Common interests Use of PMA receipts to fund Corps hydro O&M. Some hydro history…. Waterpower – from mechanical energy to electrical energy Rivers & Harbors Acts of 1890 & 1899
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Harnessing the Energy: Bringing Together Your Hydropower Allies
Overview: • A little history • Common interests • Use of PMA receipts to fund Corps hydro O&M
Some hydro history… • Waterpower – from mechanical energy to electrical energy • Rivers & Harbors Acts of 1890 & 1899 • Corps’ first involvement with hydro • General Dam Act of 1906 • Hydro owners to provide power for locks and dams • Federal Water Power Act of 1920 • Corps advises FPC on hydro licenses
Corps starts generating… • Installs powerhouse substructure at L&D 1 on upper Mississippi • Muscle Shoals – power plant, locks on Tennessee River • New Deal dams • Bonneville, Fort Peck and Passamaquoddy Tidal Power Project
Enter the PMAs… • Flood Control Act of 1944 • Corps to build, own & operate hydro plants • PMAs to take power at switchyard and distribute • PMAs to return all costs assigned to power construction, operation, maintenance and replacement
Nonfederal hydro… • Around 1980, emphasis changed to encourage nonfederal hydro development at Corps projects • FERC-licensed projects • Nonfederal funding for Corps hydro projects • More than 40 projects completed
Gee whiz! B.H.A.N.s! • Corps is largest owner/operator of hydro in U.S. • 75 powerplants • 20,720 MW installed capacity • 100 billion kw/year energy • About one-fourth of nation’s total hydro output • Nation’s 5th largest electric supplier
Hydro & navigation:Partners with the rivers • Hydro projects on navigation systems • 8 on the Arkansas navigation system • Upstream and tributary hydro projects • 5 on Arkansas River system • 5 on White River system • Denison Dam on Red River system
Hydro & Navigation:Mutual Interests • Competing Uses • Environmental issues • Funding to maintain the infrastructure
Competing Uses • Storage reallocation • Operational changes • Missouri River Master Manual revisions • Arkansas River navigation study • Seasonal pools • Minimum flow releases • Special operations • Releases for canoe races, sediment flushing, etc.
Environmental Issues • Low DO • Modifying releases to improve downstream fisheries • ‘Tear Down the Dams’ syndrome • Endangered species protection • Least tern, pallid sturgeon, Arkansas shiner, etc.
Infrastructure funding • Government invests in infrastructure to support commerce & the economy • Continued failure to maintain infrastructure leads to disruption of commerce & the economy • We are unwitting accomplices of Al-Quaida
Jonesboro MOA • Power customer funds used to finance projects critical to system reliability • Customers select projects from list submitted by Corps and SWPA • Customers have funded 115 items at $57.7 million over 6 years
Making the $$ go further • Power customers need stable source of funding for hydro O&M • Hydro O&M competes with navigation, flood control, recreation O&M • Using non-appropriated $$ for hydro O&M would free up $$ for other purposes
Use of PMA receipts • Rather than appropriated $$, PMA revenues used to fund Corps hydro O&M • Promises stable, reliable source of funding • Frees up $180 million for other Corps purposes • Sec. 2020 of Senate WRDA bill
Hydro & navigation:Partners with the river • Identify mutual interests • Identify mutual concerns • Develop a strategy to work together • Think bold, think BIG!