News Release Archive

Reclamation Awards $1.7 Million Contract for Replacement of Governor Controls

Media Contact: Lynne Brougher, (509) 633-9503, lbrougher@usbr.gov
David Walsh, dwalsh@usbr.gov

For Release: June 11, 2010

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $1.7 million contract to replace aged governor controls for the six generating units in the Grand Coulee Dam Third Powerplant.

American Governor Company in Warminster, PA, was awarded the contract on May 25. They will replace governor controls that were installed in the 1970s. The electric hydraulic governors are showing problems with obsolete electronic components. The primary purpose of a governor is to regulate the flow of water through a turbine. The new controls will be more robust and faster acting.

Third Powerplant generators play a major role in reacting to normal load swings and stabilizing the Northwest Power Grid. The upgrade of the governor controls is funded by the Bonneville Power Administration as part of a program to sustain reliable production of power from the Grand Coulee facility.

Grand Coulee Dam is located on the Columbia River in north central Washington. It was completed in 1941 and today serves as a multipurpose facility providing water for irrigation, hydroelectric power production, flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.