GE Vernova to Refurbish Cushman II Hydropower Plant

Tacoma Power has contracted GE Vernova’s Hydro Power business to refurbish two 27 MW/33 MVA turbine and generator units at the Cushman II hydropower plant in Mason County, WA. Two of the three turbine and generator units installed at the site are set for refurbishment.

GE Vernova will design, manufacture, refurbish, install, and commission two new generator stators and two new turbine distributors. In addition to installing newer equipment, the company will refurbish generator poles, shaft thrust bearings, turbine runners, and draft tubes.

“The upgrades we are doing to our Cushman hydro project will mean that we are able to continue providing clean, renewable hydroelectric power to meet the demand of the residents and businesses in our service area, even as demand grows with increasing electrification,” said Tony Daniels, Senior Engineering Project Manager at Tacoma Power.

Cushman II hydropower plant; Image Credits: Tacoma Power

Tacoma Power’s 81 MW Cushman II hydropower plant entered service in 1930 and can deliver enough renewable energy output to power approximately 40,500 homes in the U.S. northwest. The unit refurbishments and upgrades are expected to be completed in 2026. This maintenance will help increase availability and reliability for the power plant and deliver renewable energy to the grid for another 100 years.

"The USA is the world's third largest hydropower producer after China and Brazil, with more than 100 GW of installed capacity, a significant and aging installed base, which creates huge opportunities to modernize the fleet, to help extend the projects’ life, increase efficiency, and help deliver even more clean energy to the grid,” said Romain Pellegrino, Hydropower NAM Leader, GE Vernova. “We are pleased to be working with Tacoma Power on this project, which gives a great example of the possibilities that come with hydropower."