in December, explained Jason Ingram,
Ayres’ manager of land survey.
This scanning process is more
cost-effective and much more precise
than physically inspecting all parts
of the site and making architectural
drawings by hand, Ingram said. “And,”
he added, “the level of detail we get is
much higher. I mean, they will see pits
in the concrete – that’s how dense and
accurate the data set is.”
The data from the HD laser
scans will be used to create a three-
dimensional computer model of the
powerhouse, and from that model
Balciunas and his team will draw up
plans for restoring the powerhouse.
The first and most important
decision to be made in drawing those
plans is choosing how to replace the
facility’s original electrical-generating
turbines, Haug said.
“They’re very old types of
turbines. They’re inefficient; they
make lots of noise. I mean, they’re
dinosaurs,” he said. “It’s just incredible
they’re still working, but they’ve
outlasted their usefulness like two
times over.”
These turbines, which have a
total electrical generating capacity
of only 2.2 megawatts, will be
replaced by “state-of-the-art, super-
efficient turbines that will double
the generating capacity of the
powerhouse,” Haug said.
Choosing the number, type, and size
of the new turbines will dramatically
impact the design and final cost of the
powerhouse project.
Currently, that cost – which will
include a new parking lot, landscaping,
security fencing, repair of a nearby
retaining wall, and construction of
access bridges across the dam – is
projected at $15 million to $20 million,
Haug said, with about 30 percent of
that cost being the new turbines.
Now in the planning phase,
construction of the project is slated
to begin in late 2017, with completion
expected in 2020.
TRENDS
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