HYDROPOWER

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Fly Around Video Clip of Generating Unit

The Hydropower Resource Glen Canyon Dam is the second highest (710 feet) concrete-arch dam in the United States, second only to Hoover Dam which stands at 726 feet. The 26.2 million acre-feet of water storage capacity in Lake Powell, created by Glen Canyon Dam, serves as a ‘bank account’ of water that is drawn on in times of drought. This stored water has made it possible to successfully weather extended dry periods by sustaining the needs of cities, industries, and agriculture throughout the West. Hydroelectric power produced by the dam’s eight generators helps meet the electrical needs of the West’s rapidly growing population. With a total capacity of 1,320 megawatts, Glen Canyon Powerplant produces around five billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power annually which is distributed by the Western Area Power Administration to Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Nebraska. In addition, revenues from production of hydropower help fund many important environmental programs associated with Glen and Grand canyons. The designation of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in 1972, underscores the value and importance of the recreation benefits associated with Lake Powell and the Colorado River downstream of the dam. The GCNRA is managed by the National Park Service. Glen Canyon Dam is the key water storage unit of the Colorado River Storage Project, one of the most complex and extensive river resource developments in the world. Without it, development of the Upper Colorado River Basin states’ portion of the Colorado River would not have been possible. [1] LTEMP Resource Goal for the Hydropower Resource Maintain or increase Glen Canyon Dam electric energy generation, load following capability, and ramp rate capability, and minimize emissions and costs to the greatest extent practicable, consistent with improvement and long-term sustainability of downstream resources. Desired Future Condition for the Hydropower Resource • Glen Canyon Dam capacity and energy generation is maintained and increased, so as to produce the greatest practicable amount of power and energy, consistent with the other DFCs. • Ensure continued delivery of Glen Canyon Dam hydropower to the existing customers who have entered into long-term firm power contracts with WAPA. • Ensure sufficient and efficient production of Glen Canyon Dam hydropower in order to provide the revenues to support the CRSP facilities and purposes. • Maintain the operational flexibility (including but not limited to load following capability, ramp rates, and emergency operations allowances) that enable Reclamation and WAPA to meet the system operating and other regulatory requirements of WECC, North American Electric Reliability Corporation and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as emergency operating criteria for safety and human health situations. • Maximize the environmental benefits of hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam. • Minimize carbon emissions through hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam.

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Updates http://gcdamp.com/images_gcdamp_com/2/23/Jeka_PPT_Western_CRPS_Aug_2013_AMWG.pdf How does operations at Glen Canyon Dam fit into operations with other CRSP hydropower units? https://www.usbr.gov/uc/progact/amp/twg/2018-01-25-twg-meeting/AR04.pdf

Links and Information U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) Colorado River Energy Distribution Association (CREDA) GTMax Page The Basin Fund WAPA Annual Reports FY16 Annual Report FY16 Statistical Appendix FY15 Annual Report FY15 Statistical Appendix FY15 Results of Operations FY14 Annual Report FY13 Annual Report FY12 Annual Report Presentations and Papers 2018 The Future of the Colorado River Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) PPT Glen Canyon Dam Hydropower Production and Value, Status and Trends 2018 PPT 2017 Status and Trends of Hydropower and Energy PPT 2016 Basin Fund and Revenue Overview 2015 CRSP Rates, Revenue, and Basin Fund Overview 2013 Overview of the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Management Center for Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) Capacity and Energy Handout Question & Answer Transcript High Flow Experiments: Financial and Operational Effects on CRSP and the Electric Power System Final Products of the 2011 Hydropower Knowledge Assessment and GTMax Model Review Workshop Dated January 4, 2012 2010 Electrical Power System Economics 2009 CREDA brief on “the generation of hydroelectric power, as an incident of the foregoing purposes.” Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Renewable Electrical Generation Technologies Compared to the WECC Baseline Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, 2010 language (note last paragraph on GCD Adaptive Management Program) Letter from various U.S. senators, to Daniel Inouye, Byron Dorgan, etc., Subj: Concerns on Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3183 Adding Generation to the Bypass Tubes Generation at Outlet Glen Canyon Dam Plan of Study CRSP Power Peaking Capacity (March 1981) What does it mean that "generation of hydroelectric power is an incident of the foregoing purposes" in the 1956 CRSP Act (43 U.S.C. § 620)? In GRAND CANYON TRUST vs U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, Grand Canyon Trust asserted that “[h]ydropower is an incidental benefit of every other stated purpose of the dam,” citing 43 U.S.C. § 620. Pl. Reply at p. 39. This is not a correct statement of the law. The relevant portion of 43 U.S.C. § 620 provides “for the generation of hydroelectric power, as an incident of the foregoing purposes.” Congress did not provide that hydropower is “incidental to” or “an incidental benefit of” the Colorado River Storage Project. Hydropower is an “incident of” the other Congressionally defined purposes. Used in this manner and in this context, the word “incident” means “related to,” or “resulting from,” and does not mean that hydropower resources are an “incidental” or minor authorized purpose of the Colorado River Storage Project. [1] Ramp rates and beach stability Alvarez and Schmeeckle (2013) that found that the erosion of sandbars (the primary reason we have ramp rate restrictions at Glen) are not affected by ramp rates themselves. They found that erosion of sandbars is primarily caused by the higher velocity flows that washes the toe of the sandbar away which then causes the rest of the sandbar to slough off and fall into the river (i.e. mass failure). Having flows come up or go down more quickly than they do now will not increase this rate of erosion aside from the fact that the faster you can come up and go down allows you more time on peak at those higher velocity flows, which was identified as the causal factor of sandbar erosion. Other Stuff Under Pressure: Dams make less electricity in drought Wave attenuation of hydropower releases at Glen Canyon Dam CREDA Fact Sheet on Hydropower and Glen Canyon Dam Capacity & Energy handout Explanation on Why Capacity is Important Importance of Hydropower Capacity Video: What is Black Start? Video: How does a Transformer work?