UPPER LILLOOET HYDRO PROJECT
Three Proposed Run-of-River Hydroelectric Facilities- Total Capacity of 121 MW
What is the Project all about?
The proposed Project, located in the Pemberton Valley, includes three
proposed run-of-river hydroelectric facilities (HEFs) on the Upper Lillooet
River, Boulder Creek and North Creek, with a combined nameplate capacity
of 121 MW, and a 72 km long transmission line.
Each HEF will divert a portion of the water from the respective creek
through turbines, generating about 415 GWh annually – enough to energize
40,000 homes. All diverted water will be returned to the creek – clean and
unchanged. Each proposed HEF received an Electricity Purchase Agreement
in March 2010 in response to the BC Hydro 2008 Clean Power Call
Parameter
Upper Lillooet
River HEF
Boulder Creek
HEF
North Creek
HEF
Rated Capacity of
Plant (MW)
77
27
17
Estimated Energy
Yield (GWh/year)
289
97
57.4
Gross Head (m)
187
291
397
Design Flow (m3/s)
53
11.3
5.4
Penstock / Tunnel
2.5 km tunnel &
1.4 km penstock
Turbines
4 horizontal
Francis
(1)
(2)
2.8 km tunnel
2.3 km tunnel
3 vertical Pelton
4.2 km penstock
1 vertical Pelton
Environmental Benefits
•
Hydroelectric energy generation offsets potential greenhouse gas
production from carbon based power plants (i.e., coal and natural
gas).
The Project is emissions free.
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List of Studies
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Upper Lillooet HEF
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Boulder Creek HEF
North Creek HEF
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Traditional Use and
Archaeological Studies
Aboriginal Interest and Use
Study
Baseline Report, Aquatic
Environmental Assessment and
Cumulative Effects Assessment
Baseline Report, Wildlife
Environmental Assessment and
Cumulative Effects Assessment
Access Management Plan
Consultation Reports
Land Use Report
Visual Quality Assessments
Recreation and Tourism
Assessment
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Baseline Report, Forestry
Effects Assessment and
Cumulative Effects
Assessment
Digital Terrain Model
(Transmission Line)
Navigation Assessments
Transmission Line
Economic Benefits
Assessment
Socio-Economic Study
Terrain hazards
Assessment
Geotechnical Reports
Hydrology Studies
Design Basis Reports
UPPER LILLOOET HYDRO PROJECT
Three Proposed Run-of-River Hydroelectric Facilities- Total Capacity of 121 MW
Hydroelectric Power - Why is it renewable?
The rise (evaporation) and fall (precipitation) of water is part of a continuous natural cycle called
the Water Cycle. Hydroelectric plants capture the energy of moving water to generate electricity.
More than 90% of British Columbia’s electricity is produced by hydroelectric means.
a. Run-of-river projects do not require a large dam or reservoir of water.
d. The powerhouse contains the turbine, generator,
substation, control equipment and auxiliary
equipment.
b. A portion of the water is diverted from the creek at
the intake, and conveyed into a pipe, called a penstock, and/or tunnel.
e. Electricity is produced by the force of
moving water on the turbine-generator.
c. The penstock and/or tunnel transfers
the water downhill to a turbine-generator.
f. All diverted water continues past the turbine, through the
tailrace, and finally returned to the creek – clean and unchanged .
g. Electricity is transported along an overhead
cable called a conductor or transmission line.
Intake
h. Transmission line is
interconnected to the BC Hydro
transmission system at the Point of
Interconnection.
i. Finally, it is delivered
to the consumer.
Chamber
Penstock
and/or
Tunnel
Powerhouse
This is a typical schematic of the Boulder Creek
Hydroelectric Facility (HEF) and North Creek HEF. The
proposed arrangement of the Upper Lillooet River HEF has
the following key differences:
Transmission Line
P.O.I.
(1) intake consists of a rubber weir and,
(2) Francis turbines are proposed, instead of Pelton turbines.
1. Fitzsimmon Coanda intake.
2. Rubber weir with side intake at Rutherford Creek, proposed for the Upper Lillooet River HEF.
3. Fitzsimmons penstock right-of-way a
few months after construction completed.
4. Ashlu powerhouse and substation
during construction.
5. Typical 230 kV transmission
line.
UPPER LILLOOET HYDRO PROJECT
Three Proposed Run-of-River Hydroelectric Facilities- Total Capacity of 121 MW
How does water produce electricity?
The Pelton wheel, proposed for the Boulder Creek Hydroelectric Facility (HEF) and North Creek HEF, is an impulse machine invented by Lester
Allan Peltonin the 1870s and uses the principle of Newton's second law to extract energy from a jet of fluid. Pelton turbines are suited to high
head (i.e., the difference between the water level at the intake and the turbine elevation) and low flow applications
a. Gravitational potential
energy from the water is
converted into kinetic
energy as it flows down
the penstock/tunnel.
b. The turbine inlet safety
valve can shut off flow to the
turbine.
c. A Pelton turbine at the end of the penstock/tunnel is
turned by the moving water. The turbine consists of a
runner with a number of buckets.
d. Six water jets impinge water on the buckets.
Flow from the jets and, hence, power output is
adjusted by a needle valve that increases or
decreases the nozzle opening.
e. During rapid power reductions (e.g., complete
loss of connected-load), the wheel tends to
accelerate. Deflectors are used for diverting the
flow harmlessly to the tailrace.
Plan View of Turbine Manifold
f. The shaft from the turbine
goes up into the generator,
which, in turn, transforms the
kinetic energy into electrical
energy.
1. Fitzsimmons Pelton turbine inlet
manifold.
2. Fitzsimmons Pelton turbine nozzles
and runner.
3. Fitzsimmons indoor substation.
4. Ashlu inlet pipe and turbine inlet valve
to Francis turbine.
In 1831, Michael Faraday discovered that
moving a magnet past a conductor
caElectromagnets in large generators are
created by circulating direct current through
loops of wire uses electricity to flow. wound
around stacks of magnetic steel laminations.
The electromagnets are mounted on the
perimeter of a rotor, which is attached to the
turbine shaft. When the rotor turns, it causes
the electromagnets to move past conductors
mounted in the stator, which causes electricity
to flow.
5. Ashlu Francis turbine runner.
6. Overhead view of Ashlu Francis
turbine assembly.