HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS

For many years we have been lucky to have an on-going relationship with most of the largest power utilities in Oregon, including Portland General Electric, the Eugene Water & Electric Board and Bonneville Power Administration, among others. All of these are termed "regulated utilities," meaning they are obligated to comply with Federal law related to the management of historic properties, particularly Section 106 and Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act. While most people don't look at a dam, a powerhouse, a substation or a transmission line and see anything of beauty, there is no doubt that our modern way of life would not exist without the massive infrastructure that connects rushing water, burning coal, or other forms of generation with the duplex outlets in your home. Since much of this system, particularly hydroelectric facilities, are easily more than 50-years old, we help utilities manage their historic resources while continuing to provide low-cost, efficient, power to consumers. It's an interesting field.


There are almost always a series of projects underway in this area of the firm. Current work includes half a dozen upgrades to PGE's Clackamas River Hydroelectric Project, the final editing of the Manual for Built Resources of PGE's Pelton Round Butte Project, and a master plan for EWEB's Carmen Smith Project Village. A cutting edge document for BPA, documenting their entire 15,000 mile, seven state network, is currently under internal review but will hopefully be moving forward by late Summer.