The Eklutna Power Plant, also referred to as Old Eklutna Power Plant, is a historic

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power plant A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid. Many pow ...

on the

Eklutna River The Eklutna River () is approximately long and is located in the Southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska. A portion of the river flows through a canyon up to deep, emptying into the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet approximately northeast of Anc ...

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Ma ...

. Located about downstream of the more modern

new Eklutna Power Plant New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

, it was built in 1928–29 to provide electrical power to the growing city, and served as its primary power source until 1956. The facilities include two dams, a tunnel and

penstock A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydro turbines and sewerage systems. The term is inherited from the earlier technology of mill ponds and watermills. H ...

, and a powerhouse. The main dam,

Eklutna Dam The Eklutna Dam, also referred to as the New Eklutna Dam or Upper Eklutna Dam, is an embankment dam on the Eklutna River about northeast of Anchorage in Alaska, United States. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it ...

, located at the northwestern end of Eklutna Lake, was built in 1941 to replace a series of temporary structures built after an earthen dam failed before the plant began operation. The diversion dam, a concrete

arch dam An arch dam is a concrete dam that is curved upstream in plan. The arch dam is designed so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, causing the arch to straighten slightly and strengthen ...

, is located downstream from the lake, and provides facilities for diverting water into the tunnel. The tunnel is long, and is terminated in a penstock, a structure designed to raise the water pressure. The powerhouse is a concrete-and-steel structure completed in 1929. The diversion dam removal was completed in 2018 to allow for the passage of salmon. The power plant was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1980.

References

External links

* 1929 establishments in Alaska Buildings and structures completed in 1929 Hydroelectric power plants in Alaska Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Alaska Energy infrastructure on the National Register of Historic Places Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Anchorage, Alaska {{US-powerstation-stub

See also

References

External links