Digital Subscription

tool name

close
tool goes here

Electrical fires at Ice Harbor Dam briefly stop power production

BY THE TRI-CITY HERALD
Published: Jan. 18, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. PST — Updated: Jan. 17, 2013 at 10:24 p.m. PST
0 comments

Power production stopped at Ice Harbor Dam near Burbank after two small fires were discovered at 9 a.m. Thursday.

The fires were inside two cabinets holding electrical components for two of the dam's six generators, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. Three generators were operating at the time.

Power for dam facilities stopped, but power was being pulled off the electrical grid within 30 minutes for basic facility operations. The navigation lock returned to service at 12:40 p.m.

Snake River flows previously passing the dam via power generation are being passed through the spillway.

The fires did not last long because of the design and content of the electrical cabinets, Army Corps officials said. The fire produced some smoke, but it quickly cleared, they said.

Operations staff at the dam are evaluating the generators and their electrical and mechanical components to determine the extent of any damage and are working to restore power generation capability.

An investigation into the cause of the fires is planned.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here

We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.

SPORTS
SOUTH SOUND
BLOGS
CONTESTS

Similar stories

  • Dam generators getting back online after fire

    Two of the generators at the Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River near Burbank were operating Friday and work was under way to start a third.

    Small fires broke out inside two cabinets holding electrical components for two of the generators Friday.

    Three of the dam's six generators were producing power then and were shut down. The other three were undergoing maintenance.

  • In late 1929, Tacoma had no electricity; the USS Lexington brought the power

    In December of 1929, the water levels behind Tacoma’s dams were at frightening lows and falling due to lack of rain, rivers and creeks feeding the reservoirs were freezing up, and there was a very real danger of ice being sucked into the dams' turbines. The city’s electricity was slashed immediately.

  • Changes to Columbia River Treaty might affect Mid-Columbia

    Issues vital to the Mid-Columbia, including Columbia River recreation, irrigation and fish habitat, plus power rates, could be affected by possible changes in the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada.

    A meeting is scheduled Tuesday in Pasco on parts of the treaty, which could be terminated in 2024 if either the United States or Canada requests it.

    Ten years notice is required, which means the United States must be ready in 2014 to negotiate changes related to ending the treaty or changing it.

  • U.S., Canada to reconsider treaty governing Columbia River

    The treaty created a massive system of dams for flood control and electricity for the Northwest, but changing weather now might mean fewer fish and might damage the river’s ability to feed the turbines that have produced billions of dollars’ worth of hydropower for both nations.

  • Dreamliner fires raise safety concerns among experts

    WASHINGTON — While Boeing maintains that a fire in an electronics compartment of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner last week and another fire on a test flight in 2010 are not related, the plane’s fire-suppression system does not protect the site where both fires occurred.