Current District Projects
Domestic Water Project
Turlock Irrigation District is preparing an EIR (Environmental Impact Report) on the District’s proposal to construct a new water treatment plant near the community of Hughson, in Stanislaus County. The new plant would be located in the vicinity of the intersection of Geer and Hatch roads and would treat water drawn from the Tuolumne River near the Geer Road Bridge. Treated water would be conveyed via new pipelines to the communities of Turlock, Ceres, South Modesto and Hughson which currently rely on groundwater supplies exclusively for their drinking water needs. The EIR will address to potential environmental effects of constructing and operating the proposed project.
The possibility of serving drinking water to local communities has been discussed off and on for nearly 20 years. It has long been recognized that as land comes out of production and urbanization takes its place that the water once used to support agriculture on those parcels of land, could transition to supplies for homes, businesses and other domestic uses. Water for the treatment plant would be released as needed from Don Pedro Reservoir, flowing down the river to the infiltration gallery where it would be pumped to the plant for treatment, and then distribute to the participating communities. This process would allow the water to pass through critical spawning and rearing reaches of the river before being diverted for consumptive use. In this manner, water used for urban supplies would also provide significant environmental benefits to Chinook salmon and other fish that live in the Tuolumne River. More projects to come.
Fuel Cell Project
Turlock Irrigation District is in the process of buying and installing a 1.2 megawatt fuel cell at the City of Turlock’s Regional Water Quality Control Facility to convert methane gas produced by this facility into electricity.
In order for this project to move forward the City of Turlock will be providing the property for the new power plant, the methane gas for fuel as well as cooling water. The methane gas is currently being utilized to operate three boilers with the remaining portion being flared off. In addition, the city will provide the water needed for cooling purposes. Waste heat from the fuel cell reaction will be utilized to heat water for various processes at the wastewater treatment facility. The City will receive some revenue from the electrical power produced.
Because fuel cells involve no combustion – converting renewable methane gas into electricity electrochemically – they operate hundreds of times cleaner than conventional power generators. Fuel cells significantly reduce nitrogen oxides, particulates and sulfur dioxides.
The fuel cell project qualifies as a renewable energy project and furthers the District’s objectives of securing 20 percent of its energy from non-polluting renewable resources by 2017. The District anticipates completing the project in the summer of 2008. The equipment is being purchased from FuelCell Energy, Inc. of Danbury, Connecticut a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean power plants using a variety of fuels for commercial and industrial customers.
Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Project
The Turlock Irrigation District is pressing ahead with a proposal to build its first-ever pumped-storage hydroelectric project to provide energy during customers’ peak consumption periods.
As envisioned, the Don Pedro Pumped Storage Project would more fully utilize the Tuolumne River water resources to provide a firm source of peaking capacity. The Districts are working closely with all pertinent parties to ensure that the operations within the existing Don Pedro Reservoir, as well as downstream users, are in no way negatively impacted and ensure that all interested entities view the proposed project as an asset.
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