Operation of the Conowingo Hydroelectric Plant

Large run-of-river hydroelectric (or “hydro”) developments on rivers with extremely wide variations in flow can only be justified on a sound economic basis provided such plants can be operated in conjunction with a large steam generating system so as to attain the greatest possible economic use of the hydroelectric power. By reducing the steam generating costs to a minimum, over-all economies can be effected to ∼aximum advantage for the entire system. Allocation of hydroelectric energy to the best advantage requires determinative river flow forecasting, proper use of pondage, maintenance of head, and station efficiency so that maximum capacity and maximum energy can be obtained from the available water to replace the most expensive steam generation. This paper presents in detail the methods by which the various factors are analyzed to determine the most effective operation sequences for a large hydroelectric installation.