WSP11820

• File Number: 8282.600.10
• Description: Colorado River Operating Annual Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1995
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Operation of the Colorado River Basin 1995 Projected Operations 1996
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

Power Operations (Cont,)

Lower Basin

Water Year 1995

On June 1, 1987, the United States assumed operation and
maintenance responsibility of Hoover Powerplant and
associated switching stations, after the SO-year contract with
operating agents (The City of Los Angeles and its
Department of Water and Power, and Southern California
Edison Company, Ltd.) expired. The "General Regulations
for Generation and Sale of Power in Accordance with the
Boulder Canyon Project Adjustment Act", promulgated on
May 20, 1941, provided the basis for computation of charges
for electrical energy generated at Hoover Dam through May
31, 1987. The Department of Energy Organizational Act of
1977 transferred the responsibility for the power marketing
and transmission functions of the Boulder Canyon Project
from the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to the
Western Area Power Administration (Western). The power
marketing functions of Western include the responsibility for
promulgating charges {or the sale of power. The
construction, power generation, operation, maintenance, and
replacement responsibilities associated with the Hoover
Powerplant and appurtenant works remained with
Reclamation.

Marketing of Parker-Davis power and operating the
transmission system are the responsibility of Western.
Reclamation continues to operate and maintain the dams
and their powerplants, a function of the Lower Colorado
Dams Project office.

Davis and Parker Powerplants are now operated by
Reclamation's Hoover Control Center's Supervisory Control
and Data Acquisition (SCADA) computer system located at
Hoover Dam. The SCADA system moni10rs and remotely
controls the powerplant generating units to adhere to water
schedules provided by Reclamation's water scheduling
branch located at the Lower Colorado Dams Project,
Hoover Dam and power schedules provided from Western.

The net generation from Hoover powerplant during the 1995
fIScal year (October I, 1994 through September 30, 1995)
was 3,%5,037,000 kilowatt-hours.

Water Year 1996

In operation studies of Lake Mead and Lake Powell for the
operation year which ends September 30, 1996, the amounts
released at Hoover Dam have been projected to satisfy both
downstream water requirements, including diversions by the
Metropolitan Water District and the Central Arizona
Project, while also complying with the overall requirements
to meet Compact, flood control, firm power contracts, and
operating criteria releases provisions. The estimated
monthly Hoover releases during water year 1996 total 11,595
million cubic meters (9.4 million acre-feet). It is estimated
that generation from these Hoover releases will result in
delivery to the approved contractors of approximately 4.3
billion kilowatt-hours of electrical energy. The four main
penstocks are scheduled for inspection and maintenance over
the next 4 years at Hoover.

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. u.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1996 -774-348/20017