The Wire

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Fort Carson taps hydro plant

Posted By Pam Zubeck on Thu, Jun 13, 2019 at 12:27 PM

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This outlet is part of the Southern Delivery System water pipeline that increases the city's water supply via Pueblo Reservoir. Benyamin says he's open to sharing water outside the city, but city needs should come first. - COURTESY CSU

Courtesy CSU
This outlet is part of the Southern Delivery System water pipeline that increases the city's water supply via Pueblo Reservoir. Benyamin says he's open to sharing water outside the city, but city needs should come first.

In May, Fort Carson began using power from the 7.5-megawatt James W. Broderick Hydroelectric Power Facility at Pueblo Dam. The facility was built by the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, and Colorado Springs Utilities will deliver half of the power generated by it to the Mountain Post. (The city of Fountain will buy the balance.)

The post’s purchase will average $860,000 a year and supply 1,800 Carson homes. The purchase comprises 7 percent of the installation’s electrical needs, the post said in a release.

The hydro-power purchase boosts Carson’s investment in renewables — the post also has solar panels that supply 8 percent of its electricity. In 2011, the Army tasked Carson and two other installations with reaching net zero efficiencies for energy, water and waste.

Tags: Fort Carson, James W. Broderick Hydroelectric Power Facility, Pueblo Dam, power, Image