SRP nears completion on Horse Mesa Dam valve replacements
Jun 14, 2020, 4:25 AM
(SRP Photo)
(SRP Photo)
PHOENIX – Salt River Project engineers are nearing completion on replacing the 93-year-old dam valves at Horse Mesa Dam at Apache Lake.
The original valves were installed in 1927 and helped power the three hydro generating units. Each valve was 10.5 feet tall and weight approximately 27,000 pounds.
The new valves, which were brought in from Germany, are 8 feet tall and weigh approximately 47,000 pounds each.
“Replacing the turbine shut-off valves restores a safe and reliable means to maintain our units,” Matt Pendergraft, Manager of O&M Baseload and Gas Generation, said in a press release Thursday. “It’s critical we ensure safety for our employees and our customers.”
The valves act as protective devices that prevent damage to the turbines in the event of a malfunction.
According to the release, the valves were difficult to remove because the original control house was built around them, so crews had to cut through the power house walls to reach the valves.
The Horse Mesa Dam is part of series that store water on the Salt River and release it downstream when necessary to help provide electricity to the Valley.
The project is expected to be completed in mid-June.
