A small turbine will be attached to a large Water Agency pipeline carrying raw water from Lake Tabeaud to the Tanner Water Treatment plant on Ridge Road in Sutter Hill. 

 The turbine will use the pipeline water flow and excess pressure at the water treatment plant to generate up to 580,000 kilowatt-hours of renewableelectricity annually – more than enough to power the AWA water treatment plant and adjacent offices and maintenance facility. 

“California electricity prices have increased 6 - 8% annually -- more than 45 percent -- since 2000,” said AWA Board President Rich Farrington.  “This project will save the Agency an estimated $4 million in electricity costs over 30 years.” 

Running the turbine will have no impact on the quantity or quality of the water used to power the generator. By switching to a “green” power source, the Agency will avoid producing the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions as 33 households in a year.

Construction costs will be funded by a $1.45 million loan from the County of Amador and repaid by power cost savings and rebates. The project also qualifies for a $134,000 state grant. 

Project design was provided by NLine Energy Inc., a renewable energy development company headquartered in El Dorado Hills. NLine will also assist AWA staff with oversight of construction, scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.