History
In fiscal year 1992 the unit control system was upgraded. Lower Molina Powerplant installed the UPS system, static exciter, SCADA, and Sy/Max 400 PLC. This reconfigured the plant from local operation to remote. A plant water flow meter was installed in 2001. A new generator circuit breaker and a battery monitoring system were installed in 2002. Lower Molina was shut down during part of the 2002 water year so water could be delivered to a canal at the upper plant. Overall generation from the plant was affected because of the lack of water. A new governor, unit protection and unit control was installed in 2003.
The Congress authorized the Collbran Project July 3, 1952, under Public Law 445, 82nd Congress, 2nd Session.
The project also rehabilitated and modified the operation of 15 small privately owned storage reservoirs on the Grand Mesa in the Cottonwood Creek and Big Creek watersheds. These reservoirs provide water for power generation through exchanging storage water on Grand Mesa for irrigation water from Vega Reservoir.
Both the Lower Molina and Upper Molina Powerplants are operated in conjunction with Colorado River Storage Project power operations.
The Collbran Project, in west-central Colorado, developed a major part of the unused water in Plateau Creek and its principal tributaries. Supplemental irrigation service is furnished and electrical energy is generated for use in west-central Colorado.
Plan
Electrical energy is generated for use in west-central Colorado. The Lower Molina penstock extends 4.7 miles from the Molina Equalizing Reservoir to the Lower Molina Powerplant. The penstock consists of steel pipe ranging in diameter from 36 inches at its upper end to 30 inches at the lower section. It has a maximum capacity of 50 cubic feet per second. The single-unit Lower Molina Powerplant has an installed capacity of 4,860 kilowatts at a design head of 1,400 feet and a maximum water discharge of 50 cubic feet per second. Power generated at both power plants is transformed to a transmission voltage of 115 kilovolts at two substations constructed adjacent to the plants. A 5.5-mile transmission line leads from the substation at the Upper Molina Powerplant, delivers energy produced at the plant to the substation at Lower Molina Power, and then connects to Xcel Energy. In fiscal year 1992 the unit control system was upgraded. Lower Molina Powerplant installed the UPS system, static exciter, SCADA, and Sy/Max 400 PLC. This reconfigured the plant from local operation to remote. A plant water flow meter was installed in 2001. A new generator circuit breaker and a battery monitoring system were installed in 2002. Lower Molina was shut down during part of the 2002 water year so water could be delivered to a canal at the upper plant. Overall generation from the plant was affected because of the lack of water. A new governor, unit protection and unit control was installed in 2003. Communicating analog data to the RTU in digital format to lessen the errors in the data and installing transfer trip relaying to the Upper Molina plant. Purchase and install new water wheel and new generator step up transformer. Western Electricity Coordinating Council, Rocky Mountain Power Area Western Area Power Administration, Colorado River Storage Project Management Center Conventional Above Ground Pelton Impulse 4,860 kW 4,860 kW 1962 45 years 16,377,900 kWh 2007 1400 ft
