Hydro Handbook

8/9/2019 Hydro Handbook

1/36

, -,1.-

Vermont Hydroelectric evelopment andbook


2/36

0o

luoo

paAcalaJp

s0oolo

J'e

poc}pu

IluocoUlu


3/36

AcknowledgmentsThis book represents he efforts of staff members f the Vermont Public Service Board an d th e

Vermont Agency of Environmental onservation. ublicService Board engineers Wayne Foster an dGordon Stensrud ontributed o writing an d editing. homas Willard, eonard Gerardi, ngelo ncerpi,an d Eldon Morrison f the Agency of Environmental onservation eviewed nd commented n sec't ions pertaining o environmental mpact.

The authors ould ike o thank he ollowing ersons or nformation ndcrit iques. .Stephen lein'schmidt, redAyer, nd B. Hayward dams f Kleinschmidt nd Dutting ave enerously f time andexperience o critique he echnical nd icensing spects f the manual. hil Rettger f Essex Develop-ments Associates, oger Lamson, nd Richard Hungerford ontributed heir experience s developersof small hydro.Stephen arrof the Chittenden ank offered dvice n private nancing. aymond

De Forge f Green Mountain ower ritiqued he operations nd maintenance ection. Porter Clevelandof GMP urnished many wonderf l photos f facil i t ies n earlier ears.

FigureGredits

Figures .3 ,2.7,3.2, 3.3,8.1 and 9.1 ar eeprinted ith permission f Green Mountain Power Company,

Montpelier, T.

Figure .1 . s modif ed om an original rawing yAll is-Chalmers . epr inted i th permiss ion.

FiguresA nd B are eprinted ith permission rom Hans Haumberger, echnical l lustrator, he Na't ionalCenter or Appropriate echnology, .O.Box3838, utte,MT.

Figures .1,4.1, .1 are modif ed om hose prepared y Kleinschmidt nd Dutting, i t tsf eld,ME.


4/36

ABnIxP

guVSA0ax

salsCxP

aPsX

uA

suP-e

0A

A0A

ys

sossJ

leIqHuii=

scl

s0ttAa0!

,^

aA

s0aUAr

,Cla

lfllCapo

spsA

Y0IOI

stpA

ls0ulPlJ

souacsJ

ua

ulInbcP

rll

su

u

sa


5/36

'xoouauosA'oao0asAlaolsluu,} sJ'alo

sAsso'

rLMAmoaouoos'laJAoela-AemOscput'0tIOlaL!uuUMupIrles

'Mluleoluapad,aooaore'xapaoaL}uossl6AsO0OtuoauelsosIlauss0oppuapJeolp-0x

'al!0casPpl'-'lapalatpau-fAapacq-lpaap'uJ'lOul'aoeaJpoEouspru}aIuu'passJ''oMsaAs

'M00AtsLlulrOOtI0IluM0lapluMBla

oJMIlsPp-Apa'dEp0aspppclepso-u0ra

'oaupAol0MLpAo0LApluoAp,,-acJau

-lpsspJpJEopda

'spp'eap'al0p(0BL0LOAaoJeJ'ALaAlfamlpL-olps-pss/ulool

u


6/36

S

'aaooJoslapolasl0apuJ so'aao,p}

-paula

ieDoILropllBoo}'pouAAsp0or'JJr(ulaeupsoquLpuJpoulsaJluuuuooao'uspopauplspoJ'asalAApaouomlUA-eeAfAsosoMo

'0!!aJrualI

'onlu0

'rnbJs-0U10os

'uoscp'00os

aso'tu

-ouAslrsI0!'LJus0os

'osa'0p1a'

lplEra

a

0

0U

sUl0

AnS^

IIIr

s-

,uP!uI

E

ollprV-aLJaapsloa{0-JoJMppuUusloy

'uappsuuladoesO-rr|r-oooJ-eauuo

sAulauAaup'aosa's-aou0' -o

Olra

s


7/36

-.---\ \__\-

---.._-------.-.-..-

---l-

F igure 2.1 Typical Vermont Hydropower nstal lat ion. he walls of the powerhouse nd intake structure are removed oll lustrate ird project works: 1)Dam with flashboards, 2)waste ga tes and gatehouse, 3) ntake orebay, 4) rash racks,(5)intake gate, 6) ntake gate hoist , 7)penstock, 8)shut-off alve, 9)turbine, 10)draft ube , 11)genera tor, 12)switchgear, 13) ransformer, 14) ircuit breaker, 15) raft ube gate and hoist .


8/36

'so!pssJt'us@tpsn!sapJoaauasosus

'lpsn!uuntlappaua

Naspu-aAqat\aaeJpaspsAsuJs

rpA

'Z'0tpglrIaAoos'ua1a0Ol-'poasppola0'AaluposAaupeuo0{}0JpsorJseres

'OlAs-qZ

'otpLmup

loslsqAMJpMtoqJaSotPlp'qu:upAoS1se'AaooueestlA]uZ0sa0sa-ecaa

tncPH

'pseus0-psrpeaLO0mJaloAJuno0ustpJpsppoooraoMAAts}oMJluoapJaLoJoo ouuuaa

Jpoapa

'uaplo0epasqureMaCrJCupAspoeJlpJloM

'M0aooapS0MeooplgAlM/ep1LMaelo

p,MLMaeuM

salMp,eMoelup(o

^up

s0pJa

'lLauuoopro(o,sX}aAloJsloeLOaJuJeoaeasaueJJuuel

J'arMou

rJA

lBrl


9/36

Figure A Pelton Wheel-

Turbines

There are two general types of turbines, mpulseand reaction turbines. Both conver t energy n waterinto mechanical energy, but by different means.

lmpulse turbines direct water through a nozzle atth e runner blade, converting the water energy nt okinetic or velocity energy. lmpulse turbines aremore suitable fo r high head applications, sincesmall volumes a a high velocity can turn the turbinerunner at a reasonable speed. A common type ofimpulse turbine s the Pelton Wheel Fig. A). Reactionturbines wo k on a di f erent principle. Water ow sequally over all the runner blads,' both the press ureand velocity of the water cause the runner to turn.The draft tube has a vacuum n it that helps pull thewater th oug h. A com m on reaction tu bine, no wused chief y af sifes with moderate heads, s theFrancis turbine (Fig. B) . Propeller turbines operateon the same principle as the Fran cis and are usedat low head sifes. Propeller urbines can be installedvertically, horizontally, or on a s/ a nt (Fig. C) .

Figure B Francis Turbine,

Figure C ProPeller urbine 'ins ta l led t a slant.

This turbine maY also be


10/36

'paoau

aeJ0eutaaau00-reueuarrupa'}lMdeeaZe

'JluSpr0sot SloS;oAl

-0eplu'ao9Z0'oao0wppalupsou'uIOosuaduaaa

rf

,

'araalppauupsppoalLZe

'raV

f

'u-CJlP'AJJpppaoasaZ0aal-ooppsqssIpp

^pso

aZ0aaoarMaa>aaaqsuaApJo

l


11/36

Figu e 2. 6 A Modem (1950's) owerhouse-facil i ty s an addition o a flood control dam1930's.

The powerhouse ontainS he power equipment(turbine, generator, governor, switch gear, etc.) .The building aries n s ize , design, nd constructiondepending n the size and orientat ion f the equip-ment, and aesthetic pref rences of the owner andcommunity Fig 2.6).

Water energy s converted by the turbine into

mechanical energy, which is then immediatelyconverted nto electr ical energy by the generator.The nset brieflydescribes ypes of turbines. Suit-able equipment to start , s top, and regulate themechanical nergy utput of the urbine re provided.

Water hat has passed hrough he tu bine exitsthrough he draft tube, nto the tai lrace canal andback into the river Fig. 2.7) .The draft tube outletis below the level of the r iver o form a seal; theresult ing acuum allows he head between he tur-bine and the tai lwater o be used (in the case of areaction urbine).

The turbine s connected by a shaf to the rotorof an electr ic generator, hich produces electr ici tyat i ts output terminals . The turbine and generatormust be matched n size so that heir power atingsare similar. f a turbine s too large or the generator,water may be wasted, I the generator may burn out.

Generated lectr ici ty s conducted hrough theswitch gear and its controls before entering thesubstat ion. he swi tch gear, ocated on the power-house control panel , ontains switches, l lays andother electr ical evices or connecting, isconnect-ing, protect ing, nd monitcring he generator out-put . The control panel may also display meters or

The powerbui l t n the

Figure 2.7 Excavated Tailrace Underconstruction. The concrete orm for the

draft tube outlet for the powerhousepictured n Figure .6 .The circular ection

is where the draft tube will be located.The water evel ises above he outlet .

. $ i t

$*.*$$

ffi

F,-+,,,,1,,.,,,It,'].,


12/36

'nruplstaluVoOssuJppJou-us1s

'su0psu0'soaloJJp0uJE'oJou0MJl

^0ru}0

'eaa,la}us

'naJpJoplaUe0VpAo,eaUp

'/aMJooJaosuJLos}aaooepaosoJu0eu'pJouAoapPlP/oeJpaoapoopa

^ ooeAousl

(JufrlaApe

o'AauuMsJusla

'JMousall0p0psa)'u-aaurolsJplps ur

aAa0rpoospuoa0s1pauAslplltsp,s1paVupyppa'paso,asoluoul

u

'auploro0IpsMsuauJu,alsooosBJeoaJp'uorJpJ0


13/36

ZonrJlfA,trV V ox t ttA{t-

s{arr at-JCA,?A^,cttY A'ilP

Ailt-JrJaueJ( '


14/36

L

'SU-OVUCg1r

lssH

lrUC9pcqo

/luurolsarasJlalpea0u'epuu

'ploarpapps

pset%

A'se,-apaaeao

^ uaa

'lauso/leosJlAeApasq0uasoalppl

ur

'g,m

0oofas-0qopaBsJpasAp0-plapr-oo0ou

'xup!sJpsllalpenrulopsloo,,L} suao

parag^ p0er

rapapsl'paapapea]sa,oa0aa

'ollAouououPl}ofaoA0l]suuJpapoucH

a0l

lloeAa'llsoupoalr

lP'lAJaleUr0lBa

'Aoo,sl

-lPa-0populopopJu,oposspacnars-alpV

s

'ulq'u]Auo,Cpao

^ paAal 'orJu

o

pPar}atMpa'rJa

^ paspaupsupaosusaaouesuaaspotlJLPproouAuo'O,arApJpauJoaoleoppopuluJ

lJoapas'usJu'uotsuueOApalpo(,rJaJaJVea'papoaa

sUP

'L0ups'fas

aOUVesapup

'S}puaSu

osl-lfoaprOle1faVAf-aal0-uatou0-lpsapSllgapuV'lpa0ApAcp0OpeaaM-aV

uol


15/36

on a monthly and yearly basis , btained om USGSriver gauging stat ions on many rivers , re avai lableat the Department f Water Resources.

Average nnual ow data s suff cient or a roughprel iminary ssessment of power potent ial and isadequate or the very i r s t analysis of a si te . Infor-mation concerning ow f uctuat ions, however, sabsolutely necessary or further studies , not onlyto more accurately redict power potent ial , ut a lsoto ascertain he feasibi l i ty f hydroelectr ic evelop-ment at extremes of f low (f ood and drought) . fthe USGS does not have nformation or f ow at asi te , ow data f om a nearby ndex stat ion can beadjusted, or index stat ion information on a riverwith a s imilar drainage area and runoff character-is t ics can be used.

The bibl iography ontains eferences o manualsthat explain how head and f ow can be measuredfor a small project . n the case of a larger dam, t isrecommended hat: a surveyor e hired o determinehead, ow data ocated n state les be used when-ever possible , and a consult ing engineer be hiredto perform or verify ini t ia l calculat ions of poweravai labi l i ty instal led capaci ty) . See the inset foran example of ini t ia l calculat ions.

once a theoret ical nstal led apaci ty s obtained,the services f a consultant wil l probably e neededto calculate whether here s f ow at a si te enoughof the t ime to instal l that amou nt of capaci ty,especial ly n the case of a plant that wil l operateas "run of the river." Using what s known as a f lowdurat ion curve (see glossary) , he consultant wil ldraw up a curve hat shows the amount of energyprod uced an nually as a f u nct ion of the instal ledcapaci ty. t should be easy o see rom this curve arange within which an instal led capaci ty can bechosen hat wil l maximize energy utput .

l f a si te s farge enough, consuf ant may nvest i-gate the power potent ial at three or four differentinstal led capaci t ies corresponding o a range ofhead and flow condit ions. corresponding averageannual energy outputs wil l be est imated, as wellas the range of outputs by month and over he years.

Exist ing Faci l i t ies Assessmentlf there is developable ower potent ial , he de-

veloper nd consultant hould assess he dam, heimpoundment, and any structures or equipmentthat may be at the si te .

A visual nspect ion f the dam may reveal urfacecracks , hols, leaks, and crumbling masonry orconcrete . As with assessment of power potent ial(and other aspects of development) , prel iminaryreview of dam safety by alayman must not be sub-

Power Potent ial Determinat ion

A simple calculation using flow and head at theproject yields approximate power availability. Thefor m u a used is ;

Pp= Qxh709

where:P1 = power n ki lowattsO = dVrage nnual ow in cubic feet per minute

(cFM)h = net head709 - a constant derived om the densi ty of water

at 62.4 pounds per cubic foot

Flow might be expressed n cubic fee t pe r secondor gallons pe r minute. Multiply CFS by 60 to obtainCFM. Divide gallons per minute by 7.a8 b obtain CFM.

For exam le, a f ow of 20A CFS (12000 CF M) anda net head of 25 feet would work out as fol lows:

P-709 70 9

= 423 KW

Th e f gure of 42 3 KW represenfs the theoreticalpower available, which is more than the generatingequipment wil l produc, since al l equipment wil loperate af /ess than 100 percent eff ciency. A reason-able approximation s 85 percent ef f ciency for th eturbine generator unit, thus:

423 KW x .85 eff ciency = 360 KW

The as f gure represenfs he power that mightbe available n a stream. The one or more turbine'generafors ns alled will have approximately thispower rating. The power rating s a/so called nstalledcapac ty .

s t i tuted or a professional xaminat ion. he StateDepartment f Water Resources mploys a structuralengineer amil iarwith he condit ion f many Vermont

dams and who would be wil l ing to help assess adam's structural ntegri ty. The Army Corps of En-gineers Corps) as conducted dam safety nspec-t ions on numerous ams n Vermont, hat data alsobeing available rom Water Resources or from theCorps.

Historic ecords r s igns of f ood damage aroundand below a dam may be evidence hat the spi l lwayhas not been able o pass a f ood (Fig.3,2) . f i t ap-pears ikely hat this might be a problem, he feasi-bi l i tystudy wil l have o include he cos t of redesignof the spi l lway.

12


16/36

O'nrCupsA

-arassotaadoferaumlA,laopauus'esaueafala

l

'0tApBoeJ'

lrOaoupaps

^los

l(A/JLlloBaps}a

6Ie!'u

,pLJaspsacp0atpou0lloappslao

'rCuupos3A -ao

0ssfeuusl'ooP,psp,plpasorra

^peoo

^p

pHo0Ap-aup,}ao'AlEloto

llalpooo

'I-l%uu -0uJ

ssppslBplouos'opolgl,uuosLoo9paasqleoLopc'apoupapal-'upl1

sneeIuI'0

-^

spopolajopoAla'poupo}'lslpl

'rM

pu

l

^

epsu'ul

-reaasV'u!seaorrlPPqpopa

'JUJArau0pao,oLstou

0'e'O)sapsJpOp

'ue0J0rpapslapa'fata,slqupou'psalJs0apso

s0rrrprH5'pe6{e


17/36

) t a r v r \

SeLf WlJ

?RETAKEF.eRc.Lf cfusE

Fii^ivAc-stere

(tauaLffYEN\rNft.Rrrlq

A?tuy rvrfrl tilez.cg. FaR Ar-r*(Vtc;Ie oF

WOLtc GaD

I

\

NaIe3"6 fY?w{ry (He lqrE$c( q eil,v


18/36

9

(g6L Jpllol

'ooloegu-sgA

0aPs0opacopEupBca@uc

'suueaeoMuaalpu-llPup'ltc'-1L'elacO-sJpLhtAAalpaosuaaaoolp0OlVo-sea{saJooeAV

,aoLJpsL0uaP(01uaruppJMllJu-oJegOVCspacV

oc

'uesuous

uaasqpouoaJauuaMos'aeaoleAepoA0UuaosuaAlspU/aLusoAJalAuascOS1auelle'ullsuplOusC

a

'0a/papsoafaCalplaLa

tl'sscQ

lass-apaosn1CApVo

'pIoosauleJeJos0sluuAe-ooaosasa'}1seleJaesVCaAp-aAaoae

^p

uaoaLeraJslAa

'^^ 0ow

-eoooVg'uuC

^paa

lVsoasP poLOoo

,lgr}sErspalous-ILps(ArallPalU

tC

'pppapJaspInosloJAplapsotoqV'cao!ss0a

'00sqaooaJeeA-euaM9{aJLe0

lOpapC^

/JJxaoo'aJaMeJs-ooolaual0auAausapCe

apo

sAps'n


19/36

As in the case with the FERC icenc, developerwil l not f le a formal applicat ion with the PSB or acert i f cate unless he project seems feasible. Be-fore l ing, he developer must send si te plans andpref led test imony o the appropriate municipal orregional planning commission, which has a 45-dayperiod o make ecommendations.s

Prefi led est imony consists of a writ ten state-ment, ei ther in narrat ive or quest ion-and-answerform, by each witness discussing various ssuesof the project .

After he 45-day ait ing period, pet i t ion s f i led,accompanied y the prefiled estimony nd exhibits.The peti t ion, which can be in the form of a let ter,s tates ha t the applicant proposes o construct ahydroelectric lant at a certain ocation, nd explainsthat the project complies with the criteria et forth nthe statute. The applicat ion s designed o demon-strate that the project wil l not interfere with theorderly

development f the region and wil l not havean "undue adverse effect" on aesthet ics , historicsi tes , air and water puri ty, he natural environment,and public heal th and safety. Exhibi ts see below)are available or review by various state agencies( the statute enumerates hem), which make theirrecommendations known to the Public ServiceBoard at the public hearing. Most cri t ical issuesinvolving hese agencies hould have been esolvedbefore submission of the applicat ion.

I t rnay be possible o submit the FERC icenseapplicat ion s an exhibi t n the 248 hearing. t is l ikely

that the state wil l requi re addit ional nformation,especial ly concerning environmental , aesthet ic ,and social ssues. n any event , he exhibi ts shouldinclude a map with the locat ion of the proposedproject , a project si te plan, ?nd any other charts ori l lustrat ions hat wil l clar ifyaspects of the project .

lf the Public Service Board does ssue a Certificateof Public Good, review of subsequent detai led

8 lf they do not respond within 45 days , he y do not forfei tto make e commendations t the hearing.

eAccording to Public Law 92-500 Federal Water Pollut ionof 1972 s amended by th e Clean Water Ac t of 1977\

their r ight o

Control Act

design plans and plant construct ion may be a con-dit ion of the issuance.

401 Water Quali ty Cert if icateFERC will not ssue a l icense unti l he s ta te cert i -

f es ha t the project meets state and federal waterquali ty standards.n his cert i f icate, known as a"401 Cert if icate" s obtained hrough the Depart-ment of Water Resources. The consultant mustprepare letter, accompanied y exhibits, describingthe impact of the development n water quali ty andf sheries see Chapter V for a detai led discussionof water quali ty) . The issuance of the cert i f icatesignif es that the Department f Water Resourcesis sat isf ied hat the project does not violate waterquali ty standards. he approval f the Departmentof water Resources oes not mean hat the Agencyof Environmental onservation s a whole approvesof the project , however, s ince the Agency mightrecommend against he project on such groundsas impact on r iver ecreat ion.

Dredging nd Fil l ing Permitslf a project nvolves xcavation s for an impound-

ment or f l l ing as for a new dam, the consultantshould apply o the Army Corps of Engineers andto the State of Vermont or the requisi te permits .These applicat ions re usually made after he FERClicense s filed and nvolve airlydetailed esign plans.

The Arrny Corps of Engineers equires a "404Permit" '0 f any i l l is to be deposi ted n any water-way with a discharge ver 5 CFS, and a "sect ion 10

Permit"" if there s to be dredging n any navigablewaterway (most Vermont rivers are considerednavigable) .

In addit ion, he Protect ion Division of the AEc,through he Distr ict Environmental ff ce, reguiresa Stream Alterat ion Permit '2 f dredging or f l l ingof 10 cubic yards or greater wil l be performed n astream with a watershed f 10 square miles or more.

'033U.S.C. 34 4"3 3 U.S.C. 03"1 0 V.S.A.Chapter 1 , Subchapter , S 1021

16


20/36

Q>o

'Eg

-IoA

'Ln; 'O

ggL

lNLSri1yrN\

LN

Ft'fYto

4

(.9

Lr

' ))

dn

>>

-a')

\-

o

N'2d

7,V

r

L

rt

I

'A

^

usUra

2YOa

2

q

)/1

)N9N

,L

aooalpst'1au

as

^au

'lolIa-sa'ataJoJspollValola

^deupu

plalo0lp0XdepJa0aa0Ataa

'lesaAs0JalaeaJa,aJ{ouaop0LalsupAP0ulPsV

/a6

(Asl0Ueg0a 'ugueu

aCoaUopaspsn-,Iaro0lpsll!caa!le0uaospst'lplp,esscpl0peplaufaras1eJ

AAan


21/36

feasibi l i ty studies . Although here s competi t ionfor only l imited funds, government programs areworth invest igat ing, hrough he PSB, he VermontEnergy Off ce , or the U.S. Department f Energy nBoston or ldaho. Depending on the si te and thesource of Fed eral funding , a more detai led andtherefore more costly study may be required, owever.

Engineering tudiesSeveral chemes or development i l l be inves t i -

gated in the f easibi l i ty study. The prod uct of theengineering study should be a plan showing thelayout of al l works, a long wi th prel iminary tructuralp lans of the dam, sp i l lway, penstock, etc . Theturbine and generator should be sized accordingto f ow variabi l i ty and their layout described. Aprel iminary es ign of the electr ical ystems shouldbe performed s wel l .

Fees for engineeri g and design are usual lycalculated s 10 o 20 percent of total development

costs . The smaller he project s , he larger he feewi l l be in proport ion o development osts , s incethe same number of tasks must be undertaken orsmall as wel l as large projects .

EquipmentAlthough several establ ished American f i rms

manufacture ydroelectr ic quipment , most equip-ment current ly n the market s of European esignand manuf cture. Several oreign rms, af l ia tedwi th U.S. companies , are planning manufacturingplants n this country. A consul tant herefore, as

a wide variety of equipment o choose f rom for apart i u ar appl ca t i n .

Tu bines, generators , nd other eq u pment canbe purchased in a package unit o r separately.Separate omponents may be ess expensive nitially,bu t may prove to be incompatible n operat ion.The select ion and proper matching of machinery,both to the site, and to the other machinery, equiresthe services of an experienced o nsu tant .

Economic Stud iesBased on the prel iminary ost-benefi t analysis

and subsequent s tudy findings, a calculat ion smade of total project costs and compared with thebenefi ts der ived rom sel l ing electr ic i ty. As withan y endeavor, he project s feasible rom he economicpoint of view if costs are met and a reasonablereturn on investment s real ized.

Total development osts include he fol lowing:capi tal costs (s tudy costs , icense ees, and acqui-s i t ion costs , construct ion costs) , f ixed charges( taxes, nsurance, epreciat ion, nterest on loans) ,and operat ing and maintenance costs (salar is ,

repairs) . otal development osts are usual ly ex-pressed n terms of total annual osts of the project .Annual cost i s determined y assuming a f nanciall i fe f or the project and dividing he total costs bythe number of years . Twenty years i s often thedes ig nated project i fe .

Construct ion osts nclude hose or excavat ion,repairs , construct ion of new works, and the pur-chase and nstal la t ion f equipment . n some cases,the developer s required o pay or environmentalmit igat ion as in the construct ion of f shways oraddi t ion of aerators . he lat ter part of this chapterdea l s wi th environmental ssues. A twenty percentcont ingency s t imate s usual ly dded o construc-t ion cost est imates o take nto account unforseenprice ncreases, oundat ion condit ions or damaged ue to natu al d sasters r u n nsu ed vandal ism.

Fixed charges an be est imated n the course ofdiscussions with insurance companies , l end inginst i tut ions, nd he l is ters of the town(s) o which

the project wi l l pay property axes. ncome taxescan be calculated rom the predicted amount ofincome see discussion be low) . Private eveloperscan take advantage f income ax credi ts , a tax a l -lowance or ini t ia l epairs , nd accelerated epreci-at ion al lowances. These benef ts shou d be con-sidered n the economic studies .

Operat ing and maintenance costs are usual lysmall , but should be included n total annual costs .Maintenance osts for i tems not direct ly relatedto operat ions, uch as recreat ion reas, hould alsobe considered. ac i l i ty operat ing nd maintenancecosts vary wi th the ins ta l l ed capaci ty and can becalculated y the consul t ing engineer.

Annual ncome rom he sale of electr ic i ty qualsannual KWH product ion mult ipl ied by price perKWH paid by the ut i l i ty or other customer. Pr icenegotiat ions i l l be proceeding uring he feasibi l i tystudy. A further iscussion r market ing s continuedon Chapter Vl .

Environmental tudiesThe Vermont Agency of Environmental onserva-

t ion (AEC) s charged with the protect ion and con-servat ion of Vermont waters . The Agency, which

is composed of several i fferent departments , asconcerns about hydropower development . TheWater Qual i ty Divis ion of the Department f WaterResources rotects Vermont waters om pollut ionand water qua l i ty degradat ion of al l kinds. TheDepartment f Fish and Game is responsible orthe management of Vermont 's sh and game re-sou ces and related recreat ional opportu t is ,and for special projects such as the restorat ion fonce-nat ive shes and game animals . he PlanningDivision as an interest n the recreational esourcesof water bodies .

18


22/36

6

0SVSA0ulpua/eaApao1o0supl

'u-Jsul

^J

ppa-

^rou'pa

uLspssJ

'olalruApu

^ so0ouleslrelMupasaLpraL,opolarloel1qJ'AlulPauallalpapoospJap,eAopAlooMluaIOe}lIllralapaMsol

eupqlJsrprro-oo,sJ'0LauJrsle{u-llAo'uu'uaJoasp

,a}aJsoaoa0s'llooJp,op}/uleu

^ro

'upaosrtpAosspJsJopJpsJluJoJp-lpousoorJl

oaroouAsJJPl0posc{}ssluslpJou}Juso0u

aqua#nolJJLoJpllpaa!aqsJ'uu'0aJuJ/,lJpouOppsJa,paoqua

'llroqlrooaJVp

ouqsolVupspJpe'udo}pappeJsapaupaaI0paslpepIsapueIApeo0eaprlule

lqIAl

'lpCo{sea}aleaspl-Jp}alaas

'eApaPJacusolasUeapsJsOssAJaqpsJApJauasawOtAtpu6su1auapaapJsJ6JAsLqpsupOu

ptasA

'aJJJpJaaJapAJeOuaap

lptuaqsuoael'aoOpuo'puAptsArpw

O-O


23/36

Depending on its locat ion, creat ion of a damwhere no natural barr ier existed before can affec tthe migrat ion f anadromous sh and can block hemigrat ion of loca l f ish species . Anadromous ish,such as salmon, Some rout, and shad, ravel upstreamin order to spawn. The Department of Fish andGame plans to reestabl ish ertain populat ions ofanadromous ish, such as landlocked tlantic Salmon,and American shad in the Connect icut River. fdams on tributaries f these bodies are substantiallyrebuil t , he Department f F ish and Game may re-quire construct ion of f ish ladders or f ish passage-

ways (Fig 5.2) .They may also require other suchmeasures s trapping he migrat ing sh and rans-port ing hem by t ruck to above he dam. Faci l i t iesfor the passage of f sh migrat ing downstream mayalso be necess ry

When a hydro aci l i ty s generat ing, ish may bedirected hrough he turbine despi te he existenceof t rash racks . The magnitude of turbine mortal i tyvaries with the species nd with the type of turbine.The propel ler urbine s the least harmf . The De-partment of Fish and Game wil l require nformationon species nhabit ing he r iver and he reservoir s

wellas on turbine design.A dam is not only a barr ier o f ish migrat ion, t

also interrupts he f low of the current and al l thati t carr ies , causing both organic and inorganicmaterials s i l t ) o set t le in the pond. Sil t deposi tseventual ly log ntakes nd reduce eservoir olumeand may require periodic dredging or f lushing out .A sudden release f si l t wil l increase ownstreamwater urbidi ty, damaging aquatic ife ( f i sh as wellas plants) . Such a release might also scour thedownstream banks denuding hem of vegetat ion,thus increasing erosion potent ial and decreasing

Figu e 5.2 Fish Ladder DenilType). Thewooden baffles removed at le f t f t tntothe grooves n the concrete.

shady fish habitats . The Water Quali ty Divisionmust be notif ed prior o desi l t ing operat ions seeChapter Vll l ) .

Game ConcernsWildl ifehabitats may also be af ec ted by creat ion

of impoundments changing wetlands to ponds.Flow egulat ion may also mpinge on game habitats ,s ince reservoir nd downstream water levels mayf uctuate ndependent f natural uctuat ions. Theprincipal game species most influenced by theseproblems re waterfowl nd urbearers . pland wild-

l i fe species such as white- tai led deermay be af

fected by the f ooding of deer yards .

Social ConcernsConstruct ion of a hydropower aci l i ty affects

land and water use in dramatic and subtle ways .Such recreat ional se of a s tream aS a white watercanoeing or kayaking ou se, or exam ple, wil l beaffected by impoundment. f a forested area s tobe f ooded, he developer i l l have o submit a planfor the harvest ing nd disposal f wood. A developermight have o bear most of the costs of reconstruct-

in g bridges nd oads ha t will be looded ut upstream.The developer may be required o provide water-based ecreat ion aci l i t ies f there s an impoundment(Exhibi t R of the major FERC icense) .

l f the Federal gency FERC) n consultat ion withthe State H storic Preservat ion f cer determinesthat propert ies which are included in or el igiblefor nclusion n he National egister i l l be adverselyaffected y the project, urther planning nd redesignmay be necessry n order o comply with Federalreg u at o ns .

20


24/36

L

-

,r .

'l,e,a]aJod0sarm'el0,pUopluaegCLosreuopy

spayl'atptJ

l

'u

cupao'ul0AtatVcpslsLapaloarllauaCleu

r{araHsupa}s-0ploo0guaoess

-uH'

qtg

-oeCos-pAV'uslo,}os0laJouaeplolJeLuLlosul1,oooauorJ{A{g0a0qapo,opaJ-uo/eutMlplsa]a]pUue/,poJJJe/osIp3uLuoaAJpsJ0

'ecsocaoaa'J,0a,}oVpao}apsla0sc


25/36

Vl.Market ing lectr ic i ty

A private eveloper an sel l electr ici ty o a ut i l i ty

company or to a local ndustry. t is a lso possibleto create a new uti l i ty o Sel l o retai l customers, '3but in most cases his option s not worth he effortor expense.

The PURPA f 1978 emoved market ing bstaclesf rom the path of non-ut i l i ty evelopers . he Act re-qu res ut i l i ty companies o purchase power fromand interconnect with a faci l i ty that is privatelydeveloped. n addit ion, he Act mandates he s tateregulatory uthori ty PSB n Vermont) o set a"iustand reasonable rice" that protects he interestsof both uti l i ty ratepayers nd the private eveloper.

A detai led discussion of this f ol lows below.Although a developer s guaranteed a market

with a utility, nother ption may be equally ttractive.A developer an negotiate joint ownership rrange-ment with a local ndustry r industr ies , or example.f the users of the power are also part owners, lostate regulat ion s required nd the developer oes

not need a FERC icense. This option thus avoidsa potent ial ly ime-consuming nd cost ly process.

l f sel l ing o a ut i l i ty ompany s the chosen option,the ut i l i ty wil l need to know detai ls of proposedoperat ion n order to est imate a price. The uti l i tywil l want to know he physical ocat ion of the plan,it s capaci ty and annual energy output (KWH),andthe planned mode of operat ion nd dispatch. Loca-t ion in regard o ut i l i ty transmission ines is im-portant , s ince the cost of l ines interconnect ingwith the grid is direct ly related o their length (aswell as the voltage of the transmission ine) . Theuti l i ty also must determine whether the nearesttransmission in e s already eing used o full capacity.

By the t ime the feasibi l i ty study is underway,the developer and uti l i ty shou d be negotiat ing acontract . The services of a lawyer are essent ialhere o wri te a clear contract . f agreement annot

be reached over heprice

or terms of the contract ,a developer hould contact he PSB o discuss hediff icul t ies . f no resolut ion can be reached by in-formal negotiat ions, he developer hould send awri t ten pet i t ion to the PSB for a rate hearing, ?Smandated y the PURPA. he PSB will def ne ermsof a purchase power contract that hopef u ly, issat isfactory o both part ies .

' rEnabling egislat ion s 30 V. S A.SS 249,251,259.

22


26/36

T

'I0truapa1s-lJoppass

'eposssqpAooqaJuJe{a,aiaoapla;aueAplJaeaelAauoleApaluasJosluL0luJAsopsAuluplss-uoss}

'Claa0u-loJ'u-Ja'arJao}oaoe}'

'ssJoaa'lpo0uBu1

'uEcusL,rJs,usa

^}u,

au0'p0oo,}o

6up

'nprapaaLauoJaufuuu]

-reJJssa'uo

'oeoopvJepuairaooaaoupeo'J'adoealuousa

slopaJp,olJs

'JaU}a'uuJeu1reusaa

'0InpIapleo,suoa}sa'u-eoelpraupsauJOOAJsu-aasreaMas'u,vop-arosoP,spalaos

'aopoolMpll,1BOeespsuloMo0tupopo'pstPaoao0u'0ra1eJspsoos,orppsalaJ'-Jpa'pIalao}ta/olJou,a-esoolaappuaupl,ooaeopae0llosalLpo

'eUltJeAl

"supa}

'avrea'aroJU}aupoAuse

6


27/36

Vll l .Construct ion

Construct ion of the project s the next step indevelopment f ter easibi l i ty tudies and licensing.A construct ion ngineer, member r subcontractorof the f rm that designed he project , usual ly man-ages the entire bui lding process (civi l , hydraul icand mechanical, nd electrical ork) rom excavationto bringing he new power plant on line.This personusual ly has wri t ten or assis ted with equipment bidspecif cat ions, and is famil iar with the intr icaciesof the project . Occasional ly, he equ pment man-ufacturer wil l provide onstruct ion upervision orthe eq u pment instal lat ion as a cond tion of theguarantee. t is important hat one person uperviseconstruct ion rom beginning o end.

The project manager uts the construct ion workout to bid and choses he general ontractor. hereare many qualif ed heavy onstruct ion ontractorsin Vermont and northern New England, al thoughnone special ize n hydro work. Contractors sual lysubmit a performance ond with the construct ionbids. The bond, usual ly or 10 percent of the bid,protects he developer om cost overruns, elays,or errors n construct ion. f the bid is rejected, hecheck should be returned o the contractor.

The project manager s responsible or schedulingconstruct ion so that outside bu ld ng coincides

with dry seasoos, nside work can be done in thewinter, and equipment arr ives at the proper imeto be instal led (Fig. 8.1) . Delays n construct iont iming or equipment rr ival an be extremely ost ly.

Public relat ions s also part of the project man-ager 's concern. Since construct ion can involveblasting of ledge an d movement f heavy quipment,such events should be t imed to be convenient oarea esidents . Such courtesies wil l earn good wil lfor the project , dl though t may be impossible oavoid some d s tu bance.

Figu e 8.1 Instal lat ion f a Propel ler urbine.

Any act ivi ty nvolved n construct ion r operat ionof a plant that wil l violate water qual i ty standardsrequires a So-cal led 272 order 'o rom the WaterQuali tyDivision. xamples f such act ivi t ies ncludedesi l t ing of an impoundment, Xcavat ion f a tai l -race, and release of water rom a coffer dam. Theorder specif ies dates on which certain act ivi t iescannot take place and requests notif icat ion of

Agency personnel o that hey can monitor operations.Because of delays n construct ion or other un-

forseeable ircumstances, onstruct ion osts mayhave o be cut . A developer should be caref l incut t ing corners , s ince a rushed job may causemore problems han it solves. On the other hand,unnecessary arts of the construct ion might beeliminated without owering project design standards.Discussions etween he developer, roject manager,construct ion ontractor, nd f nancers ou d yieldfrui tful resul ts n this area.

24

'osect ion 27 2 of 10 V.S.A.Chapter 7


28/36

9

+

'aslpop'3

'a0II,ap}uappapl0afl0JpopJalolapppaap

uapslpJe'a

^psJ

paoo'0laJsgl

^l,'opqM

-ca0Ja^ -alnuD0

'

.,'S

+W

-

'a0soaJpoO'pLaouosade6a

upp

aoaa

so01JTL)a0oup,p!/oe

^ppu

apraApou-oue0iaoMlupes,-adao0rrauaJaJ0'pousaJu'posaJ0Mupllsapl0J7AluooJaJaJdousrVueossuopleu,spaoo

^s

aO0lsolJpoqo

'o-JAaAsalup,sA}J'0olJolslcpV

ouepuex


29/36

The opera t ion of a p lan t cons i s t s of star t ing upthe generator nd turlcines, nd synchronizing hem.lf the ut i l i ty i s d i spa tch ing he plan t ( swi tch ing ton and off depending on u t i l i ty needs) , u tomat icsynchroniz ing equipment may be needed . Thisequipment is ra ther expens ive and may not benecessary or the smaller projects. A run-of-the-riverp lan t , wil l p robably have an opera tor o s ta r t and

s top the genera tor manua l ly. Proper ra in ing forthis i s essen t ia l s ince an inexper ienced pera torcan damage he plan t equipment .

26


30/36

L

'uesoursPlBsaleoa

'llaspsrsq{ouuJla'uf,

'1r{eeu0so'l

lAsaollEa'uoAa

'padrlIt

p0'uap{ea'uAoorsa

uupdopser{a'p0sorJu

euesaup{'ea'ueaopsaa

uooueaosJqqa'll}a

asOsup'upsuup'qa

'laaoppaL'eduB

'pue)l,p60op{eaVC

'plu0auoo1lule0la

'rJla

^paJeas

'ps}apopapaealoa

'ppoVps-reJM1te

'PSluAplpapaeuV

'pspaorllo'u}M

'pp1'upuesuolsallausJUel

fg

l


31/36

Flow-Volume of water per unit t ime. Can be expressed n gal lons or cubic feet per minute (GPM,CFM)or n cubic feet per second CFS). ee Q" also.

Flow Durat ion Curve-Acurve which shows the percentage f t ime (in a certain ime period) hat ar iver 's ow was equal o o r greater han a given discharge. For example, t might show that over aperiod of a year a river lowed 500 CFS 10"h of the t ime and 100 CFS 80% of the t ime.

Flashboards-Boards placed on top of a spi l lway or dam crest o temporari ly aise he impoundmentlevel .

Flume-A canal hat conducts water o the intake gate.

Forebay-The enlarged body of water above he intake.

Francis Turbine-A react ion urbine commonly used n moderate o high head aci l i t ies . See ext .

Generator-A machine hat converts mechanical nergy nto electr ical energy.

Governor-A device o control he operat ion of a turbine or engine, which makes he speed constantby varying he input (amount of water) o match the load. Governors an perform other f unct ionssuch as maintaining constant head pond evel or automatical ly esponding o peaks n electr icaldemand above a certain evel .

Historic or Archaeological Si te-A standing structure, part of a s t ructure, or area where evidence ofprehistoric habitat ion s found, which is l is ted or is el igible o be l is ted n the National Register ofHistoric Places.

Hydraulics-The science hat deals with the laws governing water n motion.

Hydraulic Works-The works of a faci l i tyassociated i th the conversion f water energy nto mechan-ical energy; or example, enstock and urbine.

lmpoundment- Reservoi or ar t i c al pond created beh nd a dam.

lmpulse Turbine-A turbine hat uses he veloci ty of water o move he runner and that discharges oatmospheric pressure.

Instal led Capaci ty-The total of the capaci t ies shown on the nameplates f al l the generators n ahydro plant .

Intake-The structure hat le ts water nto the penstock.Intermediate Load-The amount of electr ical power needed o be del ivered at t imes when the base

load does not f l l demand.

Kilowatt KW)-One thousand watts . A measure f e lectr ical power work per unit t ime).

Kilowatt Hour (KWH)-The amount of electr ical energy nvolved with a one kilowatt demand over aperiod of one hour.

Load-The amount of power needed o be del ivered t a given point n an electr ical system.

Low Head-Sometimes def ned as head 66 feet (20 meters)or smaller. Many engineers use he termto refer o a type of faci l i ty a) hat ut i l izes a react ion ype urbine, or (b) where here s a short pen-stock or the powerhouse s bui l t nto he dam, or both.

Mechanical Works-Turbines, pumps, gatehoists , overnors , ranes, nd al l other such equipment .Megawatt MW)-One thousand kilowatts .

NEPOOL-New England Power Pool , a consort ium of New England uti l i t ies hat sel ls power o eachother and hat dispatches cal ls upon) generat ing tat ions n response o demand.

On Line-Generat ing electr ici ty nd sending t out over he t ransmission ines.

Outage-The period when a generat ing nit s out of service.

Packing Glands-Seal ing devices used o provide pressure-t ight oints where otat ing or reciprocat ingshafts pass hrough walls rom one pressure one o another.

Peak Load-The maximal oad n a s tated period of t ime; or example, early peak and dai ly peak.

Pel ton Wheel-A type of impulse urbine. 28


32/36


33/36

Appendix lState and Federal gencies

Agency Su bject Phone

VERMONT (802)

Agency f Development Community ffairsPavi l ion ui ld ingState StreetMontpelier, T05602

Division or Historic Preservation Historic nd archaeological 828-3226Wil l i amPinney, i rector s i tes

Agency f Environmental onservationHer i tage u i ld ing79-81RiverStreetMontpelier, T 05602

Fish & Game DepartmentAngelo ncerpi, hiefFisheries Fisheries nd game oncerns 828-3371

Bio log is tBen Day,ChiefWildl i fe iologis t

Forests, arks, nd Recreation ept. Recreation oncerns, 828-3375forestry oncerns

Planning ivis ion Generalenvironmental oncerns 828-3357Edward oenemann, irector

Protection ivision Stream ow alteration ermit 828-3341Howard landers. irector

Water Resources epartment,Division f Water Quality

DavidClough,Director Water ual i ty oncerns, 828'2761

Thomas Wil lard, nvironmental ng ineer "401" permitPeter Barranco, am Engineer Existing ams, ngineering 828-2761and safety oncerns

Agency f TransportationAdminis t ra t ion ui ld ingMontpelier, T05602Sherman . Gage, Director Flooding f roads r bridges 828-2661

EngineeringBrookins elano, t i l i t iesDivision Flooding f roads r bridges 828'2653

Robert Merchant, ivision f Operations Flooding f railroads 828'2828

PublicService oard120State StreetMontpelier, T 05602

Wayne oster, lectrical ngineer Section 48application, l lstate 828-2839l icensing oncerns

Gordon tensrud, hiefEngineer Electrical ngineering, 828-2636rate nformation

State Energy Off ce4 East State StreetMontpelier, VT 05602

Ronald Albee, DirectorJoseph G ainza

Government ran ts orfeasibi l i ty tud es

30

828-2393


34/36

L

v

0

Lk

u!

opIJ0InopuI

su0dIpul0l

6LVul

a

usJp

tu

Lolp0

oo

luarssasroro*J?Jvu

l,0LIuO'Al'Sn

8AeP9

l

vLpoM

uCpO

sOlA'Sn

I

rlp

spl'p

qCOuIqglV'N'qg

utfnOrl

I

ZIllh0u

ao

9L0V(

z0

(l

(I0uato

sf0s0u

(rust

s0Lu

1

r

LL

L

E

s3

9rlOl

0JlO'O'op


35/36

Appendix l l

New ElectricGeneration ndTransmission acili t ies:Certificate t Public Good 30 V.S.A., 248)

(a )No company, s defined n 30 V.S.A. 201, r cooperative, ay begin ite preparation r construc-

tion of an electric eneration acili tywithin he State, r electric ransmission acili tywithin he Statewhich s designed or mmediate r eventual perat ion t any ol tage r exercise he igh t of eminentdomain n connection ith site preparation or or construction f any such ransmission r generationfacili ty, xcept or he eplacement f existing ithequivalent acili t ies n he usual ourse f business,unless he Public Service oard irst inds hat he same o promote he general ood of the Stateand ssues a certif cate o that effect. The PublicService oard hall hold a public hearing n eachpet i t ion or such nding n d cert i f icate n a county n which any port ion f the construct ion f saidfacili ty s proposed o be ocated. otice hallbe given o the AttorneyGeneral, he Departments fHealth, g ency f Environmental onservation, istoricSi tes Board, cenery reservation ouncil ,State Planning ffice, ermo nt eronautics oard nd by certifiedmailshall be given o the chairmanor director f the municipal nd egional lann ing ommissions nd he municipal egis la t ive odyfor each own and city n which he proposed acili tywil lbe ocated ot ess han hirty days prior osaid hearing. ot ice f the publ ic ear ing hal lbe publ ished n a newspaper f general i rculat ion nthe county r counties n which he proposed acili tywill be ocated wo weeks uccessively, he astpublication o be at east welve ays before he day appointed or he hearing.

(b)Before he Publ icService oard ssues cer t i f icate f publ ic good, t shal l ind h at h e con-struct ion:

(1)will ot unduly nterfere i th he orderly evelopment f the regionwithdue consideration avingbeen given o the recommendat ions f the municipal nd regional lann ing ommissions nd hemunicipal egis la t ive odies;

(2) s required o meet he need or present nd uture emand or service;(3)wil lnot adversely ffect ystem tabili ty nd eliabili ty nd economic actors; nd(a)will not have n undue dverse ffect on esthetics, istoric i tes, ir and water purity, he natura

environment nd he publ ic ea l th ndsafety.(5) lans ave een ubmit ted o the municipal nd egional lanning ommissions n accordance

with his sect ion.(c)Before certif cate of public good s issued or he construction f a nuclear ssion plant hePublicService oard hall btain he approval f the General ssembly nd he Assembly's etermin-at ion hat he construction f the proposed acili tywillpromote he general elfare. he Public erviceBoard hall dvise he General ssembly f any petit ion ubmitted nder his section or he construc-tion of a nuclear ssion lant , ywritten otice elivered o the Speaker f the House f Representa-tives and o the President f the Senate. he Public Service Board may submit ecommendationsrelating o the proposed lant, nd shall make available ll relevant material. he requirernents f thissubsect ion ha l lbe n addi t ion o he ndings et or th n subsect ion b) f his sect ion.

(d)However, lans or he construct ion fsuch a faci l i tymust be submit ted y he pet i t ioner o themunicipal nd egional lanning ommissions o ess han 45 days prior o application or a certificateof publ ic good under his sect ion. nless he municipal nd regional lann ing ommissions hal lwaive uch equirement. uch municipal r regional lanning ommissions ay hold a public hearingon the proposed lans. uch ommissions hal lmake ecommendations, f any, o the Public ServiceBoard nd o the pet i t ioner t east days pr ior o f l ingof he pet i t ion i th he Publ ic ervice oard.

(e)However, otwithstanding he above, lans nvolving he relocation f an existing ransmissionl ine must be submit ted o the municipal nd egional lanning ommissions o less han 21 daysprior o appl icat ion or a cer t i f cate f publ ic ood under his sect ion.

32


36/36

'-auqmaeLMls1L'l

upup10l0oaole1'asus}o

'La0lSn'Z'36utulag1

'n|app}saa6r-psupA{e0lloV

'0'6ulaa'6V'aVt1rA1sSn

'euauolppu

a0lna0'ap0u'Lu

ceeu

'epu-aq1oaplV

'glpp;yal'gqeuu6'SnppOu6mtWatE

'pacau0luV'aSua:t

-q,co'M'p

'laosAVpceup:lulaA

't0p{u1'cuO6,

'lP0'poss0slV

'A a 'SqCeua'auOu

-plpa'ulC1{u

AAx

Documents

Hydro Handbook