Auglaize Hydroelectric Plant

The Auglaize hydroelectric plant is located on the Auglaize River, just south of Defiance, Ohio. The original dam was built in 1912 by the Auglaize Power Company at a cost of $500,000. It was shut down in 1962 and the generating equipment was relocated. The Auglaize plant sat vacant until the 1980s when Power Dam Corporation bought it. In 1994, Power Dam approached the city about purchasing the plant and in 1996, after extensive investigation and negotiation, Bryan purchased the plant for $1.12 million.

Key Benefits

• Generates income
• Increases our power-generating capacity
• Helps keep wholesale power costs steady
• Helps the environment by reducing the amount of power we purchase from coal-burning power plants

Capabilities

The Auglaize plant has six generating units differing in size and design. The two large units generate 1,100 kW. The smaller turbine, used for minimum flows, generates 160 kW. Three other units at the plant generate 725 kW each, for a full capacity output of 4,535 kW. The design of the units and the engineering allows BMU to take advantage of varying water flows and utilize water that once was lost. The smallest unit can generate during low flows and the larger units can generate during high tail waters.

In 2005, the Auglaize Hydroelectric Plant was operating at full capacity for the first time since the early 1960s and had a record year of generation, producing 9,647,920 kilowatt hours or enough to supply 946 average homes in the city of Bryan for an entire year. For detailed annual, monthly and daily production data, link to Hydro data.

The Auglaize plant adds more capacity to Bryan Municipal Utilities existing generation and gives BMU the opportunity to sell power in the market. BMU also has contracts in place that sell generation capacity to other municipal utilities that need to protect themselves from the high cost of peak power on hot summer days. The Auglaize is one more power source BMU can call on to back up those contracts. This lessens the risk involved to Bryan and makes those contracts easier to enter into.

Environment

By keeping the Auglaize hydroelectric plant running, Bryan is doing a small part to protect our environment. Hydroelectric power is an emission-free energy source and every kilowatt generated by the plant replaces power purchased from coal-burning power plants. The Auglaize plant avoids burning 4,524 tons of coal and producing 573 tons of ash every year. It also avoids air emissions of 9,000 tons of carbon dioxide and 288 pounds of nitrous oxide pollutants every year. Those pollutants contribute to acid rain, ozone depletion, and global warming as well as contaminate the air we breathe. As a publicly owned utility, we can make choices regarding the sources of our electric power. Consideration of our environment must be an important part of the decision-making.

The Auglaize dam provides about 4% of Bryan's power needs. Our part ownership of the Belleville Hydro Dam on the Ohio River provides another 4%, and we purchase 2% of our load from New York Power Authority's Niagara Falls Dam. Thus, about 10% of Bryan's load is hydroelectric power--power that is clean, efficient and renewable.

The Auglaize hydroelectric plant is a long-term commitment to a portion of our power supply that will be advantageous to the citizens of Bryan for years to come. It is a commitment that will return income, steady power costs and clean air. Bryan can proudly say we are doing our part to protect the environment, and we can save money while we do it.