History

The William R. Gianelli pumping and generating plant is owned by the Bureau of Reclamation and operated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

Plan

This joint Federal-State facility, located at San Luis Dam, lifts water by pump turbines from the O`Neill forebay into the San Luis Reservoir. During the irrigation season, water is released from San Luis Reservoir back through the pump-turbines to the forebay and energy is reclaimed. Each of the eight pumping-generating units has a capacity of 63,000 horsepower as a motor and 53,000 kilowatts as a generator. As a pumping station to fill San Luis Reservoir, each unit lifts 1,375 cubic feet per second at 290 feet total head. As a generating plant, each unit passes 1,640 cubic feet per second at the same head.

General