Cymrea
28-02-2006, 06:32
Born out of the remnants of northern BC Hydro assets, Hydrovia Enterprises is the Cymrean hydroelectric corporation that provides high-value, reliable power to fuel economic growth in Cymrea. As one of the largest electric utilities in the region, Hydrovia serves over 96% of Cymrea's population. Hydrovia endeavours to provide energy solutions to its customers in an environmentally and socially responsible way by balancing Cymreans' energy needs with the concerns of the environment. Through the efficient and reliable supply of electricity, Hydrovia supports the development of Cymrea and has constructed a world-class integrated hydroelectric system. Due to this efficient, reliable system, Cymreans enjoy some of the lowest electricity rates in the world.
Hydrovia has two facets: generation and distribution. Hydrovia controls and maintains all the hydroelectric facilities and assets in Cymrea, including those for power transmission. Hydrovia is divided into two main regions, East and West, and which are serviced by generators in the provinces of Siluria, Ordovixia, Povisia, and Cambria.
East Region Overview
Two major power generating stations sit in the Peace River Basin. The Aquae Caedeon Generating Station (GS) and the Nova Roma Dam create Williston Lake. The 10 generating units produce 2730 megawatts.
Located 23 kilometres downstream from the Aquae Caedeon GS, the Silurian Canyon has four units producing 694 megawatts. This generating station uses the same amount of water as the Aquae Caedeon but has lower output because the height of the dam is lower. The reservoir elevation remains relatively constant, varying up to 3 metres per day, with generation at Silurian Canyon cycling in step with Aquae Caedeon.
Conditions for the Peace River, which flows downstream from Silurian Canyon GS, are controlled by regulating the flow at the power plant. Minimum flows are specified at the Silurian Canyon GSand at Taylor, Ordovixia. These flow requirements are necessary to preserve fish stocks and provide for domestic water supply.
The Peace River (below Taylor) freezes over in winter. The break-up of the ice cover periodically causes ice jams and downstream flooding. To alleviate this problem, the discharge from the Silurian Canyon GS is kept at a constant high flow during ice formation to maximize the hydraulic capacity of the river. When the ice cover is formed, wider fluctuations in flow can be tolerated. During spring break-up, ice jams and high inflows from tributaries downstream from the generating stations can cause flooding. This flooding can be beneficial to the Siluria-Athabasca Delta for environmental reasons, but can cause serious problems at the town of Peace River, Alberta. While Hydrovia has no control over inflow downstream from Siluria Canyon, Cymrea and Rome have established procedures to mitigate flooding at the town of Peace River by regulating Siluria Canyon GS discharge.
As well as these major hydroelectric facilities, the East Region also has a thermal generating station at Arx Borealis (formerly Fort Nelson), 460 km northeast of Porteaous (formerly Dawson Creek). This 47 megawatt plant, operated on natural gas, provides energy to the Arx Borealis area during transmission outages, and continuously provides energy to the system grid by way of Alberta.
West Region Overview
On the coast, Hydrovia operates the Azuria Gas Turbine and the Falls River GS. The Falls River plant is located on the Ecstall River, near the mouth of the Skeena River. To protect fisheries habitats, the plant is required to have a streamflow through the station producing a minimum of 0.5 megawatts. The other station, the 46 megawatt combustion turbine generating station near Azuria (formerly Prince Rupert), is fired by natural gas with diesel back-up.
The Azuria plant is registered to environmental international standard ISO 14001.
The West Region is connected to the electric system through transmission lines to Caedeon (formerly Prince George). Hydrovia also controls and maintains connections to the former Alcan system.
Source material: BC Hydro
Hydrovia has two facets: generation and distribution. Hydrovia controls and maintains all the hydroelectric facilities and assets in Cymrea, including those for power transmission. Hydrovia is divided into two main regions, East and West, and which are serviced by generators in the provinces of Siluria, Ordovixia, Povisia, and Cambria.
East Region Overview
Two major power generating stations sit in the Peace River Basin. The Aquae Caedeon Generating Station (GS) and the Nova Roma Dam create Williston Lake. The 10 generating units produce 2730 megawatts.
Located 23 kilometres downstream from the Aquae Caedeon GS, the Silurian Canyon has four units producing 694 megawatts. This generating station uses the same amount of water as the Aquae Caedeon but has lower output because the height of the dam is lower. The reservoir elevation remains relatively constant, varying up to 3 metres per day, with generation at Silurian Canyon cycling in step with Aquae Caedeon.
Conditions for the Peace River, which flows downstream from Silurian Canyon GS, are controlled by regulating the flow at the power plant. Minimum flows are specified at the Silurian Canyon GSand at Taylor, Ordovixia. These flow requirements are necessary to preserve fish stocks and provide for domestic water supply.
The Peace River (below Taylor) freezes over in winter. The break-up of the ice cover periodically causes ice jams and downstream flooding. To alleviate this problem, the discharge from the Silurian Canyon GS is kept at a constant high flow during ice formation to maximize the hydraulic capacity of the river. When the ice cover is formed, wider fluctuations in flow can be tolerated. During spring break-up, ice jams and high inflows from tributaries downstream from the generating stations can cause flooding. This flooding can be beneficial to the Siluria-Athabasca Delta for environmental reasons, but can cause serious problems at the town of Peace River, Alberta. While Hydrovia has no control over inflow downstream from Siluria Canyon, Cymrea and Rome have established procedures to mitigate flooding at the town of Peace River by regulating Siluria Canyon GS discharge.
As well as these major hydroelectric facilities, the East Region also has a thermal generating station at Arx Borealis (formerly Fort Nelson), 460 km northeast of Porteaous (formerly Dawson Creek). This 47 megawatt plant, operated on natural gas, provides energy to the Arx Borealis area during transmission outages, and continuously provides energy to the system grid by way of Alberta.
West Region Overview
On the coast, Hydrovia operates the Azuria Gas Turbine and the Falls River GS. The Falls River plant is located on the Ecstall River, near the mouth of the Skeena River. To protect fisheries habitats, the plant is required to have a streamflow through the station producing a minimum of 0.5 megawatts. The other station, the 46 megawatt combustion turbine generating station near Azuria (formerly Prince Rupert), is fired by natural gas with diesel back-up.
The Azuria plant is registered to environmental international standard ISO 14001.
The West Region is connected to the electric system through transmission lines to Caedeon (formerly Prince George). Hydrovia also controls and maintains connections to the former Alcan system.
Source material: BC Hydro