The Kingsley Hydroplant was added to Central’s project in 1984. The 50,000-kilowatt plant was built to meet Nebraska’s growing demand for electricity and in response to high fossil-fuel prices in the 1970s. The large spray of water coming out of the hydroplant is passing through the bypass valve. Oxygen is added to the water during the process, improving the oxygen content for fish in Lake Ogallala, which lies immediately below Kingsley Dam.
The production of hydroelectric power is another major benefit of Central’s project. Three hydroplants along the Supply Canal (Jeffery Hydro near Brady and the Johnson No. 1 and Johnson No. 2 Hydros near Lexington) and Kingsley Hydroplant (below Kingsley Dam) have the combined capacity to generate up to 113,000 kilowatts of electricity to help meet Nebraska’s energy needs. To put that in perspective, 113,000 kilowatts is enough electricity to meet the residential needs of a city with 38,000 homes. All four hydroplants are operated from the Gothenburg Control Center.
Hydroplants have no fuel costs and are typically less expensive to maintain than power plants that use coal or natural gas or nuclear energy. They can generate electricity upon demand, unlike steam-driven plants that require several hours to increase energy production if they’ve been off-line. Hydropower provides energy without producing waste products or emissions into the air. The fuel — water — is renewable and provides many other benefits such as irrigation and recreation. And, as is evident throughout Central’s system, wildlife flourishes in the surrounding aquatic environment.
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The "Tri-County" Project
