Rehabilitation and Repair

Corps awards contract for overhaul of two butterfly valves at Fort Peck hydropower

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Corps awards contract for overhaul of two butterfly valves at Fort Peck hydropower
(photo courtesy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Unico Mechanical Corp. announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded it a contract for the refurbishment of two 216-inch-diameter butterfly valves and associated components at Fort Peck Dam and hydropower project in Fort Peck, Mt.

Included in the refurbishment is:

  • Supply of new disk seal, upper and lower trunnion housings and bushings;
  • Design-build of new HPUs, hydraulic actuators, new actuator linkage with integral locking mechanisms, new bypass piping and associated valves, new working platforms; and
  • Penstock inspection and coatings.

Under a contract worth more than $9.1 million, Unico will perform all activities associated with the project in-house, including manufacturing of new and replacement components for the valves, site refurbishment of the valves, installation of new equipment and plant commissioning. The estimated completion date of the work is May 28, 2025.

Fort Peck Lake is 134 miles long, with over 1,500 miles of shoreline. The dam consists of an earthen embankment, an outlet tunnel for releasing stored water, two powerhouses, and 16 gates on a concrete-lined spillway to the west of the dam. The first powerhouse was completed in 1951 and the second in 1961. Cumulatively, the projects have a capacity of 185.3 MW and produce an average of 1.1 billion kWh of electricity annually.

During normal operations, USACE releases water through the powerhouse to generate power and balance reservoir levels for other uses. As operations shift to reducing flood risks during periods of high runoff, water also is released through the outlet tunnel and, if needed, USACE dam operators can release more water through the spillway gates.