Kaukauna Utility rebuilds century-old hydroelectric plant

Journel Sentinel's Thomas Content highlights a hydroelectric rebuild project in Kaukauna. This is exactly the kind of renewable energy project the utilities should do more of. See the original article here.

Boldt Construction workers clean the bedrock of a canal where a new powerhouse will be built on the Fox River in Kaukauna. In order to construct the new powerhouse, the canal was drained and rebuilt and an additional 20 feet of bedrock was removed to make space for the new turbines.

An unusual construction project in Kaukauna will keep electricity flowing thanks to the currents of the Fox River.

The project is the rebuilding of the Badger Hydro generating station, which has been producing electricity for more than 100 years.

The $38 million project is retiring an old, small hydro plant, the circa-1908 Old Badger, and rebuilding the project known as New Badger - which dates to 1927.

When the project is completed late next year, Kaukauna Utilities will be generating more power from one new generator than it was from the two older ones combined, said Jeff Feldt, executive director of Kaukauna Utilities.

The municipal utility supplies 20% of its customers' electricity needs from hydroelectric power, a form of renewable energy that has been part of Wisconsin for generations but doesn't get as much attention as newer technologies like wind and solar.

Investing in hydroelectric power makes sense for customers long term, though it will mean an increase in rates for the small utility's customers next year, Feldt said.

"We know that this plant should last 100 years because we had proof sitting right next door," he said. "When you look at what this does for our customers going forward, it is a significant advantage to have hydro."

Because the power is derived from the river's flow, it means the plant has no fuel costs. That will help insulate customers from future fuel price increases.

Rebuilding the project has been an unusual piece of work. The long, 12-foot-deep canal off the Fox River where the project sits had to be drained - one foot per day - beginning in May.

Before construction could begin, the utility had to hire a fisheries consultant to conduct a "fish rescue."

More than 5,000 fish - 23 species in all - were rescued and moved to the Fox River, Feldt said.

After the draining came the demolition of one of the two old hydro plants and then much-needed work to shore up the stone walls of the man-made canal that was originally built 130 years ago, Feldt said.

"Once we drained the power canal, you saw the workmanship that was done 130 years ago was just amazing," he said.

Contractors with Boldt Construction saved many of those stones, which will be reused to give the canal walls above the water line a historic and familiar look.

"From the public's perspective it will look very much like it did originally, but from a structural perspective it will be much more sound and watertight, so to speak," said Paul Coenen, vice president at Boldt Construction who is overseeing the project.

Boldt is active in building energy projects, from the Charter St. natural-gas-fired power plant in downtown Madison to the biomass generation plant under construction for We Energies at the Domtar paper mill in Rothschild.

Boldt has had experience with repairing hydro plants, but, "This is the first time that I know that we've done an entire rebuild," said Coenen.

What makes it unique, other than working in the bottom of a canal?

"It's a construction project that spans six to seven city blocks," said Coenen. "It's just a long distance from one end to the other. It creates somewhat of a communication and organization and logistical challenge, by how spread out the job is."

When it's completed, the new project will generate 7 megawatts of power - an increase of 25% from the two old plants - enough to serve about 4,000 homes.

That's small in the scheme of the major power plants built in Wisconsin in recent years.

"But it's big for Kaukauna Utilities," said Feldt, whose power company serves 14,000 customers.

A typical Kaukauna Utilities customer would see prices rise by about 6.3%, or $5.44 a month.

"It is a rate increase, but it is an investment in the future and will help stabilize our rates going forward," said Feldt.

The state Public Service Commission is reviewing the Kaukauna Utilities' rate increase request.

Find the original article here.

Kaukauna moves ahead with hydro plant plan

From an article by Larry Avila in the Appleton Post-Crescent:

KAUKAUNA — The scene outside Jeffrey Feldt's office window is dominated by the sight and sound of water rushing out of two aging hydro power plants.

This will change in the spring when "Old Badger" and "New Badger," which have operated reliably together for more than 80 years, will be shut down and the area transformed into a construction site, said Feldt, general manager of Kaukauna Utilities. The time has come to replace the power-generating facilities, the first built in 1908 and the other in 1928.

After a decade-long process, which included assorted environmental and economic feasibility studies as well as securing state and federal regulatory approval, the Kaukauna Common Council approved a $44,875,000 bond issue Jan. 17 to cover the costs of building a new $25.5 million hydro power plant and rebuilding the canal — for $10.5 million — which supplies water to the facility. Work is scheduled to start in May with construction expected to last 18 months, city officials said.

Modernization will come at a price, likely in the form of higher electrical rates for the utility's 15,000 power customers in 2013. The utility plans to file a request with the state Public Service Commission before the end of March to seek a 6.5 percent rate increase to generate more revenue to repay the bonds. Rising expenses

Bill Roloff, owner and president of Roloff Manufacturing in Kaukauna, recognizes the benefit of updating the power plants and understands higher electric bills are coming.

"Personally, it's something that's needed," said Roloff, whose business produces assorted castings and is a big power user.

He estimates electricity costs represent 15 percent of his company's overall annual expenses. A rate increase may raise his power costs up to 20 percent, but Roloff sees that as a worst-case scenario.

Energy groups oppose bill to undermine Wisconsin's renewable energy commitment

From statements issued by three groups in opposition to Assembly Bill 146:

"Clearly, this bill is a drastic step in the wrong direction for our state. The Wisconsin Energy Business Association therefore opposes this attack on renewable energy in our state." - Wisconsin Energy Business Association. Full statement.

We strongly recommend that this bill not be approved as it solves no known problem in Wisconsin and seeks only to roll-back policies on renewable energy that have served the state well and are otherwise benefitting Wisconsin residents with cleaner air and lower prices for electricity. - Wind on the Wires. Full statement.

Fresh attack on Wisconsin voters’ desire for a renewable energy standard would kill wind projects and sap state’s economy, say wind energy advocates - American Wind Energy Association. Full statement.

WI utility agrees to buy Canadian hydroelectric power

While RENEW opposes counting hydro toward a utility's renewable portofio standard, Wisconsin Public Service agreed to buy 100 MW from Manitoba Hyrdo, according to an article in The Lac du Bonnet Leader:

Premier Greg Selinger announced today that Manitoba Hydro has signed agreements for a 250megawatt (MW) sale of electricity to Minnesota Power and a 100-MW sale to Wisconsin Public Service. Combined with a previously completed 125 MW sale to Northern States Power, these sales total 475 MW with an estimated value of $4 billion, Selinger said.

The premier said these sales will require the construction of new hydroelectric generating capacity in Manitoba. They will trigger the development of the 695-MW Keeyask (Cree for gull) Generating Station located on the lower Nelson River 175 km northeast of Thompson in the Split Lake Resource Management Area. Keeyask is to be developed by a partnership consisting of Manitoba Hydro and the Keeyask Cree Nations-Tataskweyak Cree Nation, War Lake First Nation, Fox Lake Cree Nation, and York Factory First Nation. The $5.6-billion project will provide some 4,500 person-years of construction employment, said Selinger. . .

The 250-MW power sale to Minnesota Power over a 15-year period from 2020 to 2035 requires an additional interconnection between Manitoba and the United States which will provide increased export capability and reliability benefits for Manitoba, said Selinger.

The 100-MW power sale agreement to Wisconsin Public Service covers the 2021-2027 period. Negotiations are continuing to expand the Wisconsin sale to 500 MW which would require construction of the Conawapa Generating Station, the premier said, adding with these sales, Manitoba Hydro and its partners are reviewing scheduling and other requirements for moving forward with Keeyask.