The Bridgewater Hydropower facility is shown in this photo from Duke Energy. One of the two turbines inside the station is back up and running after damage sustained in Hurricane Helene last fall. As a result, Duke can now lower water levels in the lake. As of Monday morning, it was down to 98.2 feet.
The Bridgewater Hydropower facility is shown in this photo from Duke Energy. One of the two turbines inside the station is back up and running after damage sustained in Hurricane Helene last fall. As a result, Duke can now lower water levels in the lake. As of Monday morning, it was down to 98.2 feet.
Duke Energy has completed repairs to one of the two large turbines inside the Bridgewater Hydro Station at Lake James and lake levels are dropping.
As of Monday morning, the lake was at 98.2 feet after having been at or above full pond – 100 feet – since Hurricane Helene moved through in September and damaged both of the larger turbines and a third smaller unit. The target level for this time of year is 94.3 feet.
The repair is significant because it allows Duke to drop lake levels in anticipation of spring rains. Before the turbine came back online, lake residents faced the possibility of flooding.
Fortunately, no rain events big enough to cause flooding have occurred, although heavy rainfall is forecast for later in the week.
Duke originally expected the repairs to take a month longer, but moved up the timetable last week. The second turbine is still out of commission and is expected to be restored to duty in mid-March, according to Duke spokesman Ben Williamson.
“Our teams worked extremely hard to safely shorten repair durations and Unit 1 was restored today,” Williamson said late Friday.
“The time required for the return to normal target elevation will depend on future weather conditions and river inflows.”
Lake James reached its highest point in its 101-year history on Sept. 27, when the hurricane dropped up to 30 inches of rain on Western North Carolina, eclipsing the 110-foot mark. Flooding below the dam in the Bridgewater community destroyed numerous homes and swept away vehicles and campers.
Water levels inside the powerhouse destroyed the electrical systems that operate the turbines. The smaller turbine was also heavily damaged and is expected to be down throughout 2025.
As a result, Duke couldn’t release water except through its minimum flow valve, which is too small to reduce the lake level substantively.
The increased water flow through the dam should help clear the water in the Catawba, which has been muddy and discolored since the hurricane.
Marty Queen is the senior reporter. He may be reached at 828-445-8595 ormarty@thepaper.media.
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