Powerhouse down at Potter Valley Project, creating more uncertainty about its future

MENDOCINO Co., 10/19/21 — Efforts to secure the Russian River water supply have stalled over the past month. A powerhouse that allows for larger diversions of water from the Eel River to the Russian River went down over the summer and it’s unclear whether it will be repaired. Pacific Gas & Electric says the Potter Valley Project (PVP), a hydroelectric power project that diverts the water from one river to the other, will continue providing enough water to meet its contractual obligations to Potter Valley residents and the Russian River watershed. What remains to be seen is whether a regional partnership will be able to take over the project and secure that supply for the long term.

PG&E estimates it will take 18 to 24 months to replace the transformer that went down at the PVP powerhouse and the utility company is in the process of evaluating what the cost and schedule for repair would look like, said Paul Moreno, PG&E spokesperson. So far the estimate is in the $5 to $10 million range and PG&E hasn’t decided yet whether it’s going to replace the transformer. “Our system was designed to allow water to be bypassed around the powerhouse for delivery downstream, irrespective of whether the powerhouse is operating,” Moreno said. “As such, we’ve been able to deliver water to (Potter Valley Irrigation District) but deliveries have been less than normal this year due to severe drought conditions.”