Water is Power |
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Serving Since 1892 |
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Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Ernest H. Maas
V.P. – Engineering & Operations
Edison Sault Electric Hydro Operations The
International Joint Commission (IJC) has decided to extend the authority for
Edison Sault Electric Company and Great Lakes Power Limited to conduct peaking
and ponding operations in the St. Marys River until March 20, 2003, but also
imposed certain increases in weekend water flows.
Peaking and ponding operations are carried out by Edison Sault Electric
Company and Great Lakes Power Limited to store water during times of off-peak
electrical demand and increase hydroelectric power generation during times of
on-peak electrical demand. The
latest IJC directives mandate that power generation also be maximized during
8-hour periods on the weekends when water elevation levels are below low water
datum levels. This weekend
requirement restriction can hamper Edison Sault’s ability to operate its
hydroplant in the optimum manner for its electric customers, causing outside
power purchases to be increased, eventually resulting in higher customer bills.
The total increase in customer bills is dependent on the amount of
increased weekend generation and at this point is expected to be rather small,
somewhat less than 1%. The
amount of water available for hydropower purposes in the St. Marys River is
determined each month in accordance with the regulation plan for the outflows of
Lake Superior, and the IJC’s Orders of Approval and supplementary orders. Usually, the monthly average amounts of water available for
hydropower purposes are less than the capacities of the hydroplants.
During such periods, the Edison Sault Electric hydroplant has operated at
higher flows during the day and evening hours when demand for electricity is
high, and lesser flows at night and on weekends to make efficient use of the
allocated water. Flow
variations at the hydroplants cause the water levels to fluctuate somewhat in
the St. Marys River immediately downstream of the plants.
With the ongoing low water levels and the Lake Superior outflows being
below average, the fluctuations (peaking & ponding) have become a subject of
concern for a small number of commercial navigation users. In
response to the navigational concerns during low water levels and keeping with
past hydroplant operations that continue to utilize monthly water allocations to
effectively minimize power costs to “all” customers of the eastern Upper
Peninsula, Edison Sault Electric during April 2002, will continue to maximize
the output of our hydroplant between the hours of 8 AM and 8 PM, Monday
through Friday. In addition, at
times peaking of our hydroplant will also occur on Saturday and Sunday between
the hours of 2 PM and 10 PM to help alleviate low water levels for
commercial navigation shipping interests on the weekends.
The hours of peak operation may vary from month to month, but are
expected to continue in this manner until water release volumes increase or
until water levels are significantly above the recorded low datum levels as
determined by the Corps of Engineers. President
Donald Sawruk commented: “We appreciate the IJC’s decision to allow peaking
operations to continue, but we are disappointed with the weekend flow
requirements. It seems that the
recent public input, our discussions with the IJC and recently completed
engineering studies dealing with this subject have been for naught.
From my point of view the weekend flow requirements were made without
taking into account all social, engineering and economic input from the majority
point of view.”
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