uMarch 2005: Missouri River Energy Services members rely on hydroelectricity
By Roger King, Public Communications Coordinator MRES

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — When the six main stem Missouri River dams were built under the authorization of the Flood Control Act of 1944, their primary purpose was flood control, particularly for areas in the Lower Basin. But, the dams and the reservoirs they formed help serve millions of people all along the river in a wide variety of ways.

In addition to flood control, interests such as navigation, irrigation, water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and electric power have benefited from the "taming" of the Missouri River.

The 58 member municipalities of Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) purchase an average of about half of their electrical needs from the federal government’s Western Area Power Administration, which markets hydropower produced at the Missouri River dams. These municipalities own and operate their communities’ electric distribution systems. As public entities, they, along with rural electric cooperatives, receive the first right, or preference, to purchase electricity produced by these public facilities.

The communities that make up MRES range in population from fewer than 200 to more than 30,000. Their total population is almost 250,000. Their hydroelectricity purchases are a vital tool for these communities to grow and develop. Electricity produced from falling water is clean, renewable, and, generally, much less expensive than fossil-fuel-based electric generation. The relatively low cost of this power was not always a factor. When many of these municipal power systems initially contracted for federal hydropower in the 1950s, that power Missouri River Energy Services members rely on hydroelectricity cost as much as, or more, than the power they could produce with the diesel engines many of these systems owned. Over the decades, as the costs of fuels continued to rise, hydroelectricity became a true bargain. Today, however, the extended drought and the problems caused by sedimentation threaten not only the price, but the supply of hydroelectricity.

Only a return to normal and above-normal precipitation — particularly snowfall in the Upper Basin — can ease the drought. Dealing with sedimentation is a much more complicated and expensive proposition, but it is every bit as vital. In recent years, because of ice damming and flooding problems caused by sedimentation, releases from the Oahe Reservoir have been cut back during times of peak winter electrical needs. Lower releases mean lower hydroelectric production. "One of the primary objectives of MRES is to work to preserve the benefits of hydroelectricity for its members," said MRES CEO Tom Heller. "That objective is a major reason why MRES is a strong supporter of the Missouri Sedimentation Action Coalition."


The Big Bend Dam in South Dakota was the last of the six Missouri River main stem dams to be completed. Construction on the facility was finished in 1966. Big Bend includes eight hydroelectric generators capable of producing 493,000 kilowatts of power. The main stem system includes 36 generators capable of producing 2.4 million kilowatts of power. In addition to Big Bend, the system includes Fort Peck Dam in Montana, Garrison Dam in North Dakota, and Oahe, Fort Randall, and Gavins Point Dams in South Dakota. (USACE photo)

 
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