Sidney A. Murray Jr. Hydroelectric Station

The Sidney A. Murray Jr. Hydroelectric Station, also known as Louisiana Hydroelectric (LA Hydro), opened in response to a need for a non-polluting, less-costly power source for Vidalia, Louisiana. A site approximately 40 miles south of the town was selected for the new facility. The 192 MW plant started full-scale operations in 1990.[1] It was designed to rely on the Mississippi River's natural flow and elevation drop at the Old River Control Structure, therefore not needing a large impound dam. It was also built in accordance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers existing water management objective with minimal impacts on the surrounding environment. The station operates more continuously than most run-of-the-river hydro plants, with a capacity factor of approximately 55% and an estimated availability in excess of 99%.

It is currently under an approved 42-year power purchase contract with Louisiana Power & Light (a subsidiary of Entergy). The city of Vidalia purchases 6% of the power with an option to purchase up to 15% of the generated power.[2]

The LA Hydro is the largest prefabricated power plant in the world. Its main business office is located in Vidalia.

Electricity Production

edit
Generation (MWh) of Sidney A. Murray Jr. Hydroelectric Station[3]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual

(Total)

2001 6,457 71,522 92,884 87,213 83,754 109,438 68,104 39,657 23,705 29,768 31,911 87,804 732,217
2002 53,983 91,940 85,666 121,301 113,767 131,574 62,225 30,562 25,454 57,238 56,689 61,042 891,441
2003 85,561 53,798 105,141 94,863 87,494 114,354 85,262 61,652 47,256 38,006 40,124 78,480 891,991
2004 92,220 94,375 99,273 94,331 113,292 113,628 112,516 57,498 56,934 58,324 91,162 115,272 1,098,825
2005 116,188 116,099 112,518 116,346 89,726 67,544 52,622 23,857 33,729 27,106 22,833 32,380 810,948
2006 53,694 82,036 78,947 81,966 100,980 51,132 32,364 18,861 19,442 44,886 74,940 73,967 713,215
2007 101,849 76,961 100,008 104,998 117,993 80,771 54,119 36,131 44,120 25,555 32,278 51,859 826,642
2008 75,212 75,215 104,356 125,592 133,269 124,981 129,568 91,534 52,559 60,314 35,693 56,080 1,064,373
2009 100,881 87,382 106,346 125,916 130,160 130,985 98,002 84,715 58,477 90,194 110,183 113,110 1,236,351
2010 104,529 116,029 116,627 114,519 101,152 114,540 117,190 110,134 65,993 57,695 29,781 60,605 1,108,794
2011 51,480 48,280 98,542 111,061 111,456 120,207 123,856 98,595 65,485 45,553 54,361 115,143 1,044,019
2012 122,126 109,555 111,029 91,417 87,332 34,197 19,763 13,582 16,364 19,223 21,099 34,257 679,944
2013 86,731 103,346 106,707 98,491 126,938 126,869 124,777 89,360 38,779 33,812 37,846 70,905 1,044,561
2014 107,404 78,986 105,238 110,430 133,519 117,015 111,917 62,724 63,811 71,926 56,458 70,610 1,090,038
2015 83,588 56,940 87,059 93,291 88,088 102,770 117,447 109,422 56,778 42,435 45,032 116,186 999,036
2016 83,588 56,940 87,059 93,291 88,088 102,770 117,447 109,422 56,778 42,435 45,032 116,186 1,103,023
2017 82,060 73,591 92,574 90,135 96,974 93,739 77,171 62,907 57,419 51,445 58,936 69,287 906,238
2018 106,969 106,002 107,731 113,692 127,348 116,000 98,915 85,769 73,340 72,402 84,490 87,197 1,179,855
2019 126,820 205,704 77,917 149,457 174,085 105,562 168,640 75,632 80,203 75,346 69,641 56,659 1,365,666
2020 61,819 130,122 120,233 146,931 160,377 72,017 99,974 78,521 102,937 100,633 62,234 67,945 1,203,743
2021 104,466 55,061 92,752 84,112 177,991 132,866 131,022 87,628 59,874 64,813 56,626 61,967 1,109,178
2022 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2023 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Notes

edit
  1. ^ "Sidney A. Murray Jr. Hydroelectric Station". News & Announcements. City of Vidalia web site. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  2. ^ U.S. Corps of Engineers: "Customer: Louisiana Hydroelectric". Archived from the original on 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
  3. ^ "Electricity Data Browser". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-14.

31°05′17″N 91°37′08″W / 31.08806°N 91.61889°W / 31.08806; -91.61889