Generation

[Terry Beeson]

...They run water to generate electricity and sell it… simple as that...

EEENNNNCCCCKKKKK.... Wrong... Not the "simple as that" part anyway.

Yes, they do open the gates to generate electricity to sell, however, that is not the only reason. The dams have a two-fold purpose... Electricity and flood control. To that end, they are required to maintain a level of all the lakes on the White system to within a range set by COE. There is a balancing act that occurs when you take into consideration Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, and even Norfork and Greers Ferry (Little Red) when maintaining these levels. It has to do with calculations of the levels at all of these and everything downstream, plus electricity demands.

What is occuring right now, in my humble opinion, has to do with a little of both. Lake levels are not low and there is a factor of what water will be coming into the basin in the near future. However, the answer to why they are generating a lot right now is really anybody's guess except for SWEPCO and COE.

Also, we tend to think in terms of how much "generation" they are doing and tie that to "generator" and therefore electricity. They may be running full bore open and not "generating" (at least into the grid) a Kw. Think to last spring and the floods. They certainly didn't sell all the electricity that was being "generated."

[vanven]

I just called the TR generation hotline and they claim 0 units from 12 midnight to 12 midnight. On another thread someone said generation all day. Is there somewhere else that has the generation prjections? I looked at the link Phil put up the other night and couldnt find the projected units just what they have been running. Am I over looking something or just reading the graphs worng?

The southwest power administration graph for projected generation is generally only one day ahead. As far as I know guessing anything past that is dumb luck.

-Jerod

[Captain Kirk]

I KNOW they generate to sell electricity, but it seems that being cold outside there would not be as much demand. It has to be deeper than that. Must have to do with coal plants and natural gas plants etc. I would almost bet some of those are down for maintenance. Summers are a given. High demand for air conditioning and tourism, etc.

Was looking for maybe a real reason. Cannot imagine running water thru the turbines and not selling it. That is too much wear and tear. But maybe they can run it thru the headgate and not spin the rotors?

I saw Beaver had two open for awhile so maybe its in response to that? Interesting at least.

[Mr. Ed]

EEENNNNCCCCKKKKK.... Wrong... Not the "simple as that" part anyway.

No doubt there is a little more to it then just generating power. But I still think under normal conditions if they can run they will $$$.

[Leonard]

The cold weather "here" does mean squat!!

Table Rock Dam sell the power they generate to other states..

If they were to sell power to the city of Branson... They would need to add at least 3 to 4 more generators.. and run it 24/7 full bore.

TRD sell the power to states like Az, Nv, Colo, and I also think Tenn, Ken, and either Neb or Kansas if not both..

So yes it maybe cold here.. but the power is going to different states.

Yes some of it is also as Terry said.. To control the lake level..

Last spring before the flood.. The lake was sitting close to 885 to 887..

Think back to the fall before that... Everyone was complaining that they "wasnt" running water..

A lot of leaves, branches, and just crap was building up on the bottom of the lake.. You would walk through the water and it would smell like a sest pool.. IT WAS STINKY!!! It smelled worst the the water that comes out of the hatchery when they flush the runs....

It is very possible to fish Taneycomo in high water... wading...

And NO you dont have to stand in the outlets to do it.. there is about 2-3 miles of water above fall creek.. lots of room

and if not... You dont alway have to fly fish at the dam to catch fish... Taneycomo is a big lake there is fish everywhere...

so many place to fish...

Leonard

[bobw]

Southwestern Power isn't the only people that sell power from TR. NW Electric from Cameron Mo. also have lines that run from the Missouri River East of KC all the way south to Bull Shoals Dam. They acctualy go all the way into Iowa, but when I worked for them we maintained it from the rive south. KAMO, SHOW ME, Central Electric, M&A, NW, and one other make up Associated Electric in Springfield. They also dictate when generation is needed.