Rehabilitation and Repair

Upgrades completed to 65 MW Markland hydroelectric station

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Upgrades completed to 65 MW Markland hydroelectric station
The Markland Hydroelectric Station upgrades are now complete (photo courtesy Duke Energy)

Duke Energy Indiana has completed upgrades to three turbines, generators and other equipment at its Markland Hydroelectric Station, increasing the facility’s energy output by about 10% and bolstering its ability to serve customers for the next 40 years.

Situated along the Ohio River, the Markland Hydroelectric Station began operation in 1967. It was the first nongovernmental hydroelectric station built on the Ohio River. The facility uses energy produced from the flow of the river to produce electricity, within guidelines governed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The three hydroelectric turbines are housed inside a 150-foot-high concrete dam that spans the breadth of the river. Each turbine weighs about 180 tons, with each blade stretching 27 feet in length.

Work on the project began in early 2017, after approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The upgrades included replacing turbine runner hubs and runner blades with a more efficient design and replacing other parts and components, including discharge rings, wicket gates, generator rewinds, generator excitation controls and relay protection, station controls, intake and draft tube gates, and the main power transformer. Crews also overhauled the high- and low-voltage electrical distribution systems at the station.

The project took four and a half years to complete and cost about $152 million. With the completion of these equipment upgrades, the Markland Hydroelectric Station’s annual energy output has increased by 39 GWh.

Upgrades like those at the Markland Hydro Station are part of Duke Energy’s transition to a cleaner energy future, according to a company press release. During the next 20 years, the company plans to add about 4,525 MW of solar power, 400 MW of energy storage and 2,800 MW of wind energy, in addition to cleaner natural gas generation.

“The low-cost, carbon-free power generated at Markland Hydro Station is an important piece of our diversified portfolio of generation sources,” said Stan Pinegar, president of Duke Energy Indiana. “By embracing new advancements in technology and innovation, we’re able to expand clean energy production for our customers while also maintaining the reliable service they expect.”

Duke Energy Indiana, a unit of Duke Energy, operates about 6,300 MW of owned electric capacity to serve some 870,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area. Duke Energy is based in Charlotte, N.C., and its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.