The work will involve repairs to the gate servicing chamber which is used by maintenance engineers for inspections and repairs to equipment at Grand Coulee Dam’s Third Powerplant. A variety of repairs will take place to ensure the equipment operates safely; some of the improvements include upgrading the existing electrical components, ventilation fans, and fire-safety equipment.
“These upgrades will provide a safe working environment for crews as they repair and maintain the equipment that is essential to the operation of the Third Powerplant at Grand Coulee Dam,” said USBR Commissioner Michael Connor.
The work will take about 10 months to complete and provide the project with reliable maintenance equipment.
Grand Coulee provides about one-quarter of the total generation of hydroelectric power for the Federal Columbia River Power System. The dam was completed in 1942, and serves as a multipurpose facility providing water for irrigation, recreation, fish and wildlife, hydroelectric power production, and also flood control. The Third Powerplant was constructed between 1966 and 1974.
