The Toronto-based company will invest $25 million to bring the 111-year old facility back into production.
Toronto-based Brookfield Renewable Power announced June 22 that it has begun the rehabilitation of the 5.5-megawatt Glen Ferris hydropower facility on the Kanawha River.
Brookfield is investing $25 million to bring the 1899 hydroelectric facility back into full production, according to a media release.
The project includes the overhaul and modernization of the facility’s eight turbine units over a 2 21 months, when local skilled union trades and labor will be employed. Thirty construction jobs will be created. When completed, the facility will generate more than 38,000 megawatt-hours a year of renewable power for the West Virginia electricity market, or enough electricity for 3,166 households at average household use of 1,000 kilowatt-hours/month.
"We are pleased to be able to invest in rehabilitating the Glen Ferris station," said Kim Osmars, Brookfield’s chief operating officer and senior vice president for U.S. operations and development.
"The station helped power the region’s industrial production for well over a century, and this overhaul will make it a part of West Virginia’s energy future," Osmars said.
D.A. Collins of Mechanicville, N.Y., will serve as general contractor for the project and Hatch Engineering of Ontario, Canada, will serve as owner’s engineer. Local subcontractors include Nitro Electric Co. of Nitro and Danhill Construction of Glen Ferris.
Brookfield established its Mid-America Regional Operations Center in Montgomery in 2008.
The Mid-America Regional Operations team manages six hydroelectric projects in four states totaling 183 megawatts. Brookfield currently employs 20 operators, technicians, project engineers, safety and other industry professionals in West Virginia.
