I saw this PowerPoint yesterday. From my days at Covanta, I know that Idaho is filled with mini hydro plants like this one. Back in the 1990s a company named Sithe Energy bought up some of them — and other mini hydro plants in the Northeast. I never understood that business model because even small plants can be manpower intensive in terms of monitoring (no so much operating). Surgery eventually moved onto big natural gas fired plants but its founder ended up committing suicide as I remember.
About the power plant I saw:
The City of Bonners Ferry, Idaho (City) is the licensee, owner, and operator of the 3.95-megawatt Moyie River Hydroelectric Project (Project) (FERC No. 1991). The Project was built in 1949 and is located on the Moyie River in Boundary County, approximately 1-1/2 miles upstream of the confluence of the Moyie River and Kootenai River. The Project consists of a 92-foot-high concrete dam impounding a 540-acre-foot reservoir. The Project operates run-of-river and generates electricity for the City. The City proposes to continue operations in the new license consistent with current operations.
The existing license for the Project was issued by FERC in June 1999 and expires on May 31, 2029.
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