Galvan Industries recently rust-proofed elements for a 96-foot-wide intake cleaning system installation to help keep the water flowing and the generators turning at South Carolina Electric’s Neal Shoals hydroelectric dam on the Broad River in Carlisle, S.C. Galvan also rust-proofed new gates to control water through the dam. Eco-friendly HDG provides unmatched protection against corrosion, adding years of life and improved performance to hydroelectric dams and wind/solar power generators.
The Neal Shoals dam creates a 10-mile, 575-acre impoundment area along the Broad River in a region known as the Broad River Valley, an area rich in history and recreational opportunities.
Built in 1905, the dam is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Supplying electricity to textile mills in the towns of Buffalo, Union, and the surrounding area was, originally, the chief purpose for the Neal Shoals plant.
Historically speaking, hydroelectricity generated by dams like the one at Neal Shoals aided the industrial development of the area by supplying electric current to textile factories, railroads, wood pulp and paper processing factories, and mining operations.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, hydroelectric facilities were generating power to run trolleys and illuminate streetlights, and to supply electricity for stores and houses. From the 1930s through World War II, hydroelectric plants provided most of the electricity generated in the Southeast. By 1940 over one-third of all electrical power generated in the United States came from hydroelectric facilities.
The Neal Shoals Dam is still an important supplier of electrical power today, with four generators providing an average annual output of 18,213.1 megawatt hours of electricity. One megawatt hour (Mwh) is equal to 1,000 Kilowatt hours (Kwh) or 1,000 kilowatts of electricity used continuously for an hour. It is equivalent to the amount of electricity used by about 330 homes for one hour.
Keeping the underwater intake areas of older hydroelectric dams free of trash and debris is extremely important. Maintaining maximum water flow allows the dams to operate at peak efficiency.
Intake cleaning systems work by dredging the water intake area, removing trash, leaves and even water-soaked logs that could otherwise decrease water flow. They can capture and eliminate thousands of pounds of debris with each cycle.
Hot-dip galvanizing by Galvan keeps the steel components of the dam rust free for many decades of service, even when continually exposed to sun and water.
Galvan is proud to be a part of the future of historic hydropower generation.
About Galvan Industries, Inc.
Since 1958, Galvan Industries has provided the ultimate in corrosion control to steel fabricators and manufacturers. The first hot-dip galvanizing operation in the Carolinas, the company has grown to become the largest capacity contract galvanizer in the Southeast.
For details, or to place an order, call Galvan Industries at (704) 455-5102, Fax (704) 455-5215; e-mail: sales@galvan-ize.com.
