RGE Water Tunnel Now Functional
By: WROC-TV
Updated: December 18, 2012
The water is once again flowing in a tunnel that will help produce hydroelectric energy in Rochester.
After five years of construction, a tunnel that is 80 feet underneath the Genesee River is now functional. It is a $111 million project to upgrade the hydroelectric generation station. With this upgrade RGE says it can power thousands of homes.
"That plant makes roughly 219,000 kilowatt hours of power a year for the local regional electric grid. That powers up about 30,000 homes a year, so it's clean, renewable hydroelectric energy," hydro-operations manager Hugh Ives said.
The tunnel was originally built in 1916. This is part of a $2.3 billion project to improve several power stations across the state.
After five years of construction, a tunnel that is 80 feet underneath the Genesee River is now functional. It is a $111 million project to upgrade the hydroelectric generation station. With this upgrade RGE says it can power thousands of homes.
"That plant makes roughly 219,000 kilowatt hours of power a year for the local regional electric grid. That powers up about 30,000 homes a year, so it's clean, renewable hydroelectric energy," hydro-operations manager Hugh Ives said.
The tunnel was originally built in 1916. This is part of a $2.3 billion project to improve several power stations across the state.
