Puget Sound Energy received approval of an amendment on June 1 to its operating license for the 111-year-old Snoqualmie Falls hydroelectric generating plant that will allow the utility to undertake a substantial upgrade of its facilities.
“Snoqualmie Falls is a scenic and cultural treasure that’s also been giving our region clean, renewable, carbon-free energy for more than a century,” said Paul Wiegand, vice president of Power Generation for PSE. “With our amended license, we’re in a position to carry forward the project’s legacy well into the 21st century.”
In 2004, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a 40-year operating license for the plant. The amendment to the plant’s operating license paves the way for replacing and retrofitting generators at Snoqualmie Falls.
According to a press release from PSE, the improvements will boost the efficiency of operations and add approximately 10 megawatts of generating capacity without requiring additional water.
Work will also be done to improve the concrete dam above falls and a number of other features of the hydroelectric plant.
In addition to the work on the power plants and other hydroelectric structures, PSE plans to improve the recreational amenities at the Snoqualmie Falls site.
The cost of the work that is planned for Snoqualmie Falls is estimated at $250 million.
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