Study Team: Sensitivity Study for Long-term Alcoa Shutdown

Sensitivity Study for Long-term Alcoa Shutdown Overview

This study team’s objective is to evaluate the impact and mitigation of potential long-term Alcoa shutdown.

In 2015, Alcoa curtailed production at its Alcoa Wenatchee Works plant due to unfavorable market conditions for some of Alcoa’s aluminum products. At that time and presently, Alcoa has forecast its Wenatchee Works to return to operation in spring 2017. The loss of the Alcoa load has impacted electrical transmission and generation operations in the immediate area, including operations at Chelan PUD’s Rock Island hydroelectric project and McKenzie switchyard and BPA’s Valhalla substation, which includes a tie to the Douglas PUD system. To mitigate the impact from Alcoa plant shutdown, temporary procedures have been developed to separate Chelan PUD’s McKenzie switchyard from BPA’s Valhalla substation during these impacting conditions. Chelan PUD has also developed emergency ratings for its outgoing facilities from McKenzie.

Concurrent to implementing the above temporary mitigation procedure, a long term plan should be developed to address potential issues from both system operations and planning point of views in case the Alcoa plant does not resume operations in 2017 as predicted. Such a long term plan is discussed and evaluated with joint study efforts from neighboring system. ColumbiaGrid created a study team that includes representatives from Chelan PUD, BPA, Douglas PUD, Grant PUD. The purpose of this study team is to evaluate potential long-term alternatives to these temporary mitigation procedures. These alternatives could potentially include additional emergency ratings, reconductoring existing facilities, construction of new facilities, or the use of special protection schemes.

 

Timeframe:

Status:

Documents
12/19/2017 Sensitivity Study - ALCOA Final Report (v: Sensitivity Study - ALCOA Final Report)   

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09/07/2021 QVresult (v: QVresult)   

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09/07/2021 2017-Results Review final - Summary (v: 2017-Results Review final - Summary)   

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05/24/2017 19HS Original CHPD Generation Dispatch (v: 19HS Original CHPD Generation Dispatch)   

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05/24/2017 22HS Original CHPD Generation Dispatch (v: 22HS Original CHPD Generation Dispatch)   

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05/24/2017 22HS Modified Grant BPA Generation Dispatch (v: 22HS Modified Grant BPA Generation Dispatch)   

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05/24/2017 19HS Modified Grant BPA Generation Dispatch (v: 19HS Modified Grant BPA Generation Dispatch)   

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03/08/2021 MidC Online-ColumbiaGrid ALCOA Study 19HS (v: MidC Online-ColumbiaGrid ALCOA Study 19HS)   

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03/08/2021 MidC Online-ColumbiaGrid ALCOA Study 22HS (v: MidC Online-ColumbiaGrid ALCOA Study 22HS)   

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02/22/2017 Draft 2007-2016 MidC Generation Summary (v: Draft 2007-2016 MidC Generation Summary)   

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02/22/2017 Draft BPA-Flowgate (v: Draft BPA-Flowgate)   

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02/09/2021 2022-02-09 ALCOA Study Team Draft Cases (v: 1)   

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