The Grand Coulee Dam is the most spectacular achievement in the USA in terms of harnessing water electricity. The Columbia River has been converted into one of the biggest power producers in the USA. The concrete structure forms the engineering dream come true that stands 550 feet over the granite bed and runs more than a mile across the Columbia River. The magnificent power-generating feature of the Grand Coulee Dam draws admiration from across the world.
Giant concrete structure captures the vast power of the Columbia River
The Grand Coulee Dam holds a mind-boggling 11,975,521 cubic yards of concrete. This makes it three times larger in terms of concrete used than the renowned Hoover Dam. The monumental dam spans 5,223 feet in length and ranges from 450-500 feet in width at the foundation and 30 feet in width at the crest. This marvel of engineering took shape in various phases from 1933 through 1975.
There are four different power plants in the dam, with 33 generators altogether working in synchronization to create power on such a vast scale. The Left Power Plant and the Right Power Plant consist of nine generators measuring 125 megawatts each in capacity, and the Third Power Plant consists of six generators with capacities from 600-805 megawatts in size.
Grand Coulee Dam’s average yearly power production is 21 billion kWh, with power distributed to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.
Enormous penstocks carry massive water volumes to generation units
The biggest penstocks in the Third Power Plant are 40 feet in diameter and can handle 35,000 cubic feet of water per second. The gigantic water pipes are more than twice the average annual flow rate of the Colorado River. This indicates the tremendous mass of water that needs to be processed in the system in order to produce abundant, clean electricity.
Total generating capacity reaches 6,809 megawatts, producing 21 billion kWh
The combined electricity-generating capacity of the dam stands at 6,809 megawatts. This results in the average annual generation of 21 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year. This generation capacity makes Grand Coulee Dam one of the biggest in the world and generates 35 percent of the entire power requirements of the Pacific Northwest region.
The power distribution does not end there but extends beyond the boundaries of America. Canada gets substantial electricity through the Columbia River Treaty. The power distribution system operates in Canada in conjunction with other power-generating stations through the Columbia River system. The project belongs to and operates in conjunction with other power-generating projects under the federal system in Canada.
Distribution network
- Serves 11 states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and California
- Provides enough electricity for two cities the size of Seattle
- Operates as a baseload renewable energy source
Multiple purposes beyond power generation create comprehensive benefits
Although hydroelectric power accounts for only 79.7 percent of the Grand Coulee Dam’s power use, this project also has significant irrigation and flood control functions that benefit the overall regional economy. The Columbia Basin Project irrigates 720,000 acres of land via 330 miles of main distribution canals and 2,000 miles of lateral channels in the region.
The flood control capacity of the dam protects significant population centers such as Portland in the state of Oregon and Vancouver in the state of Washington through various strategic storage projects under this system. The other benefits that reinforce the economy include irrigated agriculture, power production from water, flood damage prevention, and water recreation.
The Grand Coulee Dam embodies the complete utilization of natural water resources in the generation of clean and renewable power to fuel America’s western region. The project is yet again proof of how strategic resource investment pays off on multiple fronts while producing copious amounts of clean power. The project epitomizes successful water power utilization for the generation of electricity.
