Kaukauna Utilities 7MW Badger Hydro Plant has been formally dedicated in a ceremony in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, following an extensive retrofit project.
The Badger project combines hydraulic capacity of the 105-year old 'old' Badger plant and the 85-year old 'new' badger plant into a new single 2-unit plant resulting in more capacity than the previous two plants combined. Voith was heavily involved in the project, as Voith Hydro supplied two Kaplan turbines and automation equipment, while Voith Turbo provided the speed increasers.
"The Badger hydro plant is exciting not only for Kaukauna Utilities and its customers, it's one of Voith's flagship projects," said Voith Chief Operating Officer at Voith Hydro York, Stan Kocon. "The Badger plant seamlessly combines technology from two of Voith's divisions in a power plant that will provide additional clean and renewable power to Kaukauna Utilities customers for generations to come."
The Badger project is indicative of much of the current focus of the US hydropower industry. Many utilities and developers are retrofitting existing hydropower plants such as Badger to increase output, or turning to the US' approximately 80,000 non-powered dams and other water infrastructure to add hydropower production. Voith Hydro is involved with many of these projects, including the expansion of PPL Generation's Holtwood Hydroelectric Facility in Pennsylvania, AMP's Ohio River Projects, and Missouri River Energy Services' Red Rock Hydroelectric Project in Iowa.
"Though hydropower is one of our oldest sources of energy, it remains one of the most dynamic," Kocon continued. "As we have done for over 135 years, Voith Hydro looks forward to harnessing the power of our water resources to provide low-cost and low carbon-emitting hydropower to homes and businesses across the U.S."
Photo: Dedication ceremony at Badger Hydro Plant in Wisconsin. Courtesy Voith Hydro
