Environmental

Patriot Hydro selects Natel to conduct feasibility study for FishSafe retrofits at Garvins Falls

Patriot Hydro selects Natel to conduct feasibility study for FishSafe retrofits at Garvins Falls
(photo courtesy Natel)

Natel Energy has begun work on a feasibility study conducted for Patriot Hydro to retrofit the 12.1 MW Garvins Falls Hydropower Project with Restoration Hydro Turbines (RHT).

The study aims to evaluate the potential integration of Natel’s FishSafe™ RHT runner technology, which is designed to help hydropower projects simultaneously modernize equipment and enhance downstream fish passage safety.

Patriot Hydro owns and operates 39 hydroelectric projects in 11 U.S. states, with a combined installed capacity of 305 MW, and is exploring advanced solutions to optimize and modernize projects while increasing fish passage safety. The Garvins Falls project represents a significant opportunity to leverage Natel’s computational fluid dynamics modeling capabilities and novel turbine designs for safe fish passage, according to a release.

Natel will develop and analyze preliminary hydraulic designs to assess the feasibility of replacing the existing turbine runners with FishSafe RHT runners. The study will focus on metrics such as hydraulic efficiency, fish safety, and manufacturability, ensuring minimal alterations to the existing infrastructure and eliminating the need for finely spaced exclusion racks.

“This project underscores our commitment to sustainable hydropower solutions that prioritize both power performance and ecological integrity,” said Harry Driscoll, senior manager of sales at Natel Energy. “We are excited to partner with Patriot Hydro on this important initiative and look forward to delivering innovative solutions that deliver more reliable, renewable hydropower and support enhanced fish protection.”