The company will replace governor controls that were installed in the 1970s, and which are currently showing problems with obsolete electronic components.
Third Powerplant generators play a major role in reacting to normal load swings and stabilizing the Northwest Power Grid. The upgrade of the governor controls is funded by the Bonneville Power Administration as part of a program to sustain reliable production of power from the Grand Coulee facility.
Grand Coulee Dam is located on the Columbia River in north central Washington. It was completed in 1941 and today serves as a multipurpose facility providing water for irrigation, hydroelectric power production, flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife.
