Snohomish P.U.D. Saves $30,000 in Maintenance with Hydrolox Water Screens

The Woods Creek Hydroelectric Project is located north of the city of Monroe, Washington, and has a nameplate capacity of 0.65 MW. The project is near Woods Creek, a tributary of the Skykomish River, with a powerhouse at a natural impassible barrier to fish. Before acquisition of this small hydroelectric resource in 2008, Snohomish Public Utility District (PUD) had purchased 100% of the output since its construction in 1982. Upon purchasing, Snohomish PUD has conducted multiple efficiency upgrades that have tripled the output. The upgrades qualified the project for Initiative 937 and made it eligible as a recognized renewable resource.

One of the upgrades Snohomish conducted was to replace existing static screens with Hydrolox Series 1800 traveling water screens. The static screens required extensive manual labor to clean and remove debris. This was not only expensive, but a safety issue as well. By installing the Hydrolox S1800 screens, maintenance and safety risks were greatly reduced. The Hydrolox screens are self cleaning, remove debris and put it on the deck for easy cleanup, and comply with all relevant state and federal regulations with respect to fish protection. By replacing these screens, Snohomish PUD was able to save $30,000 annually in cleaning costs.

For more information, see the Snohomish PUD's project summary on their website.