Morehead Valley Hydro Inc.

www.smallhydropower.com

Morehead Valley Hydro Inc. is a small hydro electric generating facility producing electricity through hydropower (falling water). Morehead Valley Hydro Inc. generates 120 kilowatts of electricity, the majority of which is sold to the BC Hydro grid in British Columbia, Canada, since 1994. Electricity is produced at two independent operating sites on Morehead Creek, utilizing induction motors as generators and pumps as turbines. In addition, Kaplan style (propeller) turbines are used. The first site utilizes up to 9.2 Meters (30 feet) of head at .5M3/s (17.7 cfs) through a 24" Penstock to a 315 mm Kaplan turbine which drives a 75 hp 3 phase induction motor at 1850 RPM. Capacitors are used to energize the unused leg of the three phase motor so that near three phase efficiency is produced at single phase output. This site produces 32 Kw peak output at single phase, with 1000 Acre Feet of storage in Morehead Lake, where the intake pipe and stainless steel intake screen are located.

The second site is located downstream 4 kilometers at a waterfall. The same water from the first hydro plant is used again to power two pumps which are driven backwards, which drive induction motors as generators. Another 315 MM Kaplan turbine has been installed as well, giving a capacity of 90 Kw. The vertical head is 18 meters (57 feet) and the pipe penstock is 30".
Morehead #3 Proposed Small Hydro Site

A potential third site is located downstream of the second operating site, and permitting and licensing is underway. This site would use the same water from Sites 1 and 2, and just use the same water again, in addition to another in flowing  watershed, producing up to 500 Kw through a 36" pipe penstock.  An Electricity Purchase Agreement (EPA) is being sought to coincide with the expiry of the current BC Hydro Contract in 2014. The first two operating projects will then be bundled with the third proposed project, as one operating project on Morehead Creek. The electricity produced by these 3 sub-projects on Morehead Creek would supply most of the electricity for the nearby community of Likely, which is located near Williams Lake, in the Cariboo Region of British Columbia.

Siwash Creek Small Hydro Project

Morehead Valley Hydro Inc. has recently entered into a 20 year contract with BC Hydro to develop a new small hydro high head site for 600 Kw at Siwash Creek, near Lytton, BC.  Environmental studies and  permitting/licensing are now successfully completed with the Water Licence having been issued for 3 sub-projects totaling 1.8 Mw (1,800 Kw) , and construction is  planned for early spring of  2003. Final engineering plans are now being completed, along with a Environmental Monitoring Plan, which must be approved before Leave to Construct is authorized by the Water Management Branch
for the installation of the penstock, weir and powerhouse. Total head of the three sub-projects is over 2200 feet, almost a half mile in vertical drop. More information will be posted in the near future.

Small HydroPower Training Manual

(Please Note: Only Chapter 1 is available on-line and there is no hard copy available at this time)

Plan Details

Picture Album

Environmental Details

Newspaper Article (Central Interior Business, March 1999  {128K})

Using Induction Motors as Generators

Using Pumps as Turbines

Formula's and Other Scientific Stuff

Thomson and Howe Energy Systems Inc.

Small Hydro Equipment Suppliers

Link to Turgo Turbine Generator

Small Hydro Links

Ron Williams

Morehead Valley Hydro Inc.