Meet the team harmonizing hydropower partnerships for a modern Federal Columbia River Power System

Name of work group: Generating Assets Project Representative Team

What we do: We serve as liaisons to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, helping to ensure efficient asset management of the Federal Columbia River Power System. As project representatives, we coordinate all BPA-funded repairs, modifications and replacements at each of the 31 hydroelectric FCRPS projects. Examples of BPA-funded assets include turbines, generators, transformers, flow control gates, cranes, HVAC systems and auxiliary buildings.

While BPA doesn’t operate the dams, BPA ratepayers fund most operations and maintenance costs as well as capital investments related to hydropower generation. 

Fast facts: The Project Representative Team executed a milestone 500 contractual agreements and closeouts collectively since 2023.These contracts provide funding from BPA to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation for the rehabilitation and replacement of hydropower assets.

How is your team essential to supporting BPA’s mission and strategy?
The FCRPS is in an era of modernization. We help identify, prioritize, implement and manage BPA’s investments to ensure the FCRPS hydroelectric projects are not only maintained and operated in a safe, efficient manner, but also to increase the capacity of the system. Working with the Corps and Reclamation, we have identified a portfolio of projects to increase the capacity of the FCRPS by more than 800 megawatts over the next 15 years. Turbine replacements are in progress at Ice Harbor Dam and McNary Dam; replacement generators and turbines are planned for John Day Dam and Grand Coulee; an additional generating unit is being installed at Libby Dam; and an additional unit is being designed at Dworshak Dam. 

How does your team’s role help BPA sustain financial strength?
One significant role is to build trust and relationships with BPA’s FCRPS partners. Our team collaborates with federal partners to evaluate options and determine cost-effective solutions for complex hydropower issues. We also serve as an intermediary between the Corps and Reclamation to identify potential concerns, coordinate collaborative discussions and problem-solve solutions for system investments. 

How does your team help modernize critical BPA systems and processes?
Many FCRPS assets have been in place since the original construction of the dams. Our team supports lifecycle replacements of various equipment, which creates opportunity to optimize asset designs, incorporate modern technology and anticipate future needs. Modernization projects that we have coordinated include installing turbines that increase generation capacity and efficiency while also improving fish passage; upgrading control equipment from analog to digital; and deploying life safety upgrades.

What is your team’s biggest priority?
Our top priority is ensuring BPA provides safe, affordable and reliable energy to ratepayers of the Pacific Northwest.

What are your team’s biggest challenges? How do you tackle those challenges?
The FCRPS was primarily constructed between the 1930s and 1970s, and much of the infrastructure is over 50 years old. Trust and collaboration with the Corps and Reclamation is essential to implement the asset management program.

How does your team invest in its people to generate success?
Our leadership encourages continuous learning. This includes attending hydropower industry workshops, organizing team training and development opportunities, and supporting team members with internal detail opportunities.

What internal teams or external partners do you work with the closest? How are these partnerships integral to your team’s and BPA’s success?
We rely on numerous internal and external partners to successfully perform our work. Externally, we collaborate closely with dam operations and maintenance personnel, the Corps’ Hydroelectric Design Center, Reclamation’s Technical Service Center, and asset managers and leadership at the Corps and Reclamation.

Internally, we work often with Transmission Customer Service engineers, Finance, Enterprise Risk Management, various organizations under Generation Asset Management, and the Generating Assets team.

We also work with a mixture of internal and external participants who make up the voting members of the FCRPS Capital Workgroup and the chairs of the Joint Operating Committee. The Capital Workgroup is a subcommittee of the Joint Operating Committee. The Joint Operating Committee oversees coordination between all three federal entities and approves the annual budget for power-related capital and expense budgets.