priest rapids dam

The Grant County Public Utility District (Grant PUD) is asking for $5 million in federal funding to assist with the cost of upgrades that will make Priest Rapids Dam more resistant to earthquakes. The project, which will anchor the spillway at the dam more firmly into the bedrock its built upon, is expected to cost the utility between $38 million and $45 million...

Grant PUD crews were evacuated at Priest Rapids Dam Thursday after a fire broke out in the exciter cabinet of the #1 generating unit around 3:15 p.m. The utility says 50-60 employees were in the area and safely able to get out. Grant County Fire was called to the scene, but PUD workers were able to put the fire out using the company's CO2 fire extinguishing system...

Grant PUD officials, working with the Federal Emergency Regulatory Commission, removed the non-failure emergency condition at Priest Rapids Dam earlier today. The dam had been operating under the non-failure emergency condition since March 28, when leaking water was discovered in the dam’s spillway monoliths during an investigational drilling program. Out ...

From a press release - Drilling for drainage and inspection in the spillway monoliths at Priest Rapids Dam is complete, as around 230 core samples have been extracted from the dam’s grout gallery. The discovery of excess leakage due to a disbonded lift joint earlier this year, resulted in the need for the drilling.  ...

Crews continue investigating the leakage discovered in spillway monoliths at Priest Rapids Dam. Initial analysis shows that a disbonded lift joint is the source of the leakage. A lift joint is the area between two concrete blocks poured at different times ...

Out of an abundance of caution, Grant PUD officials have declared a non-failure emergency at Priest Rapids Dam, after inspection drilling revealed leaking in spillway monoliths. Grant PUD will reduce reservoir elevation behind the dam to normal operating minimums while inspection work continues...