New Generator Will Help CCWD During PG&E Power Shutoffs
New 550kw generator fully installed at the effluent pump station at the Hunters Water Treatment Plant in Avery
San Andreas, CA – When PG&E called for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) say it zapped some of its facilities.
One, in particular, the Hunters Water Treatment Plant in Avery was forced to curb its water pumping systems due to a 29-year-old 270kw generator not being able to take the load. Specifically, CCWD detailed that the “generator could not run all of the pumping systems at the plant at one time. This has become an escalated challenge and concern in recent years due to increased PSPS outage events in the area.”
In the past, under generator power, district operators had to make “strategic adjustments” during power outages to fully operate without issues. The old equipment has been replaced by a new 550kw generator. District officials report, “It can fully operate without a reduction in operation or treatment capacity. As a result, the district is better prepared to deliver continuous water services from the Hunters Water Treatment Plant to the Ebbetts Pass service area during power outages.”
This does not alleviate the problem for the district completely, as it has other generators that need replacement. The district says it is prioritizing funds and checking out grant opportunities in hope of replacing these aging generators as well.
Meanwhile, customers are reminded that during a PSPS water conservation is still need. District officials advise that even with the generators in place during a power shut-off, “water conservation helps to lessen the load on these generators during power outages while reducing the negative impacts of a possible generator failure.” They stress that a generator failure can result in loss of water treatment capacity or sewage spills.
