puntledge river capital projects and hydroelectric...

Puntledge River Capital Projects And

Hydroelectric Operations

Comox Valley Regional District:

Board Of Directors

May 30, 2017

Stephen Watson

The Puntledge River Hydroelectric System

Overview of five capital projects:

• Comox Puntledge Flow Control Improvement Project;

• Puntledge River Water Level Gauge System and Public Safety Warning System

Project;

• Puntledge Old Penstock and 25 Cycle Building Retirement Project;

• Puntledge Penstock Re-Coating Project; and

• Buckley Bay Substation Project.

Discussion on the 2016/2017 water supply forecast.

Comox Puntledge Flow Control Improvement Project

• There are existing facility challenges in controlling water flows in the upper

Puntledge River hydroelectric system – the specific concern is unplanned

flow events that can release water flows below the diversion dam that can

pose a significant public safety risk.

• Barber’s Hole area is the highest public safety risk on the river system for

water flow changes.

• Unplanned flow events happen about once every year or two. Drivers

• This project is seeking to improve on the ability to manage water flows in a

more controlled and safe manner: to reduce the risk of unplanned flow

events.

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Conceptual Design Stage (Complete in 2016)

We completed a system overview:

• Narrowed scope from 11 to eight concept groups for further consideration

(removing long term dam upgrades, penstock strengthening or replacement,

system reconfiguration/modification).

• We then further narrowed down the concept groups down to five for further

consideration.

• The leading alternative at the end of conceptual design included five

concept groups that were recommended for advancement to Feasibility

Design

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Comox Puntledge Flow Control Improvement

Project – Leading Alternative

Upgrade Generation Conveyance

Control System

Provide Water Storage Buffer

(Height) at Puntledge Diversion Dam

Upgrade Comox Dam Right

Abutment

Improve Comox Dam Spillway Gate

Reliability

Improve Support for

Operational Decisions

Puntledge Diversion Dam

Comox Dam With Two

Spillway Gates

Puntledge Powerhouse

Puntledge Water Intake

To Powerhouse


Right Abutment Geotechnical Investigation – Drilling In May/June 2017

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Next Steps - Schedule

• Start preliminary design in 2018;

• Seek construction funding at the end of 2019; and

• Project could be in-service by early 2022.

• Cost TBD. In terms of cost magnitude, potentially in the lower tens of

millions of dollars.

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Puntledge River Water Level Gauge System and

Public Safety Warning System Project

• This project will improve public safety and provide more reliable watershed flow information with which to make operational decisions, including during flood risk management situations.

• Siren warning system; and

• Water gauges

• The total project cost is about $8 million. The system improvements are happening and hope to be in operation this summer.

• Watershed flows and levels on web site: https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/our_system/transmission_reservoir_data/hydrometric_data/vancouver_island.html

https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/our_system/transmission_reservoir_data/hydrometric_data/vancouver_island.html

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There are seven main improvements or differences:

• Siren sound change to a whooping sound;

• Moved to be better heard in the river where the risk resides and at the same time lessen the nuisance they may create to nearby residents. They will be more directional and effective;

• The higher river flow thresholds for siren blocking. Flood risk management operations –the river is already high and the public would not be in the river;

• Seasonal siren activation has been modified. Operate during daylight hours. From December 1 to April 30 the sirens will be operating from 8 am to 6 pm, then March 1 to May 14 from 7 am to 10 pm, then May 15 to September 30 from 6 am to 11 pm, and finally October 1 to November 30 from 7 am to 8 pm;

• We have added strobe lights, angled down or up the river corridor, to initiate during the daytime together with the sirens, and during the night when the sirens are not engaged;

• Public warning signage along the river will be updated; and

• The public warning system has been made more sensitive to flow changes near Puntledge Park for improved public safety.

The new system is intended for follow the Canadian Dam Association guidelines.

Puntledge Old Penstock and 25 Cycle Building

Retirement Project

Public safety driven project

• The BC Power Commission undertook significant upgrades to the system in the

1950s. When those upgrades took place some of the older facility works were

abandoned.

• The original powerhouse building, sometimes referred to as the 25 Cycle

Building, and some elements of the old penstock corridor such as the concrete

anchor blocks, remain today. Those works will be removed.

• We have begun to remove these old and abandoned works this summer. Work

is being carried out through an FMI/K’omoks First Nation joint venture.

• Letter sent to the Regional District on March 30. Also been communicating with

the CVRD’s Water Services staff.

• Large sections of the penstock corridor will be closed off for public safety given

the deconstruction work involves the use of heavy equipment. Warning signage

will be placed around the site.

• About a $7 million project cost.

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Retirement Project – Work Zones

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Puntledge 25 Cycle Building

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Retirement Project

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Retirement Project

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Retirement Project

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Puntledge Penstock Re-Coating Project

• Work includes recoating the interior and exterior of the steel penstock.

• Request for proposals for painting to be issued in one-two months.

• Exterior work on penstock planned for completion between July 2018 and

end of 2020.

• Work on inside of the penstock (interior recoating and addition of new

access openings) has been deferred to 2021 given the CVRD’s water

project – CVRD will be off the BC Hydro penstock by then.

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Buckley Bay Substation Project – Completed

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2016/2017 Water Supply Year – To Date

Record Rain And Water Inflows – Oct/Nov

2016. Comox Lake Water Inflows Vs

Discharges

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Snowmelt: End Of May Cruikshank River

Flow Rates Into Comox Lake

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2017 Water Supply Year – To Date

puntledge river capital projects and hydroelectric...

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