Feasibility of Hydropower capacity additions at the Granite Falls dam

The Granite Falls Dam is located on the Minnesota River in Granite Falls, Minnesota. The existing dam and powerhouse were constructed by the City of Granite Falls for the generation of hydroelectric power. There are currently two open flume Leffel units with Francis turbines generating electricity in the powerhouse. Unit No.1, installed in 1940, is rated at345kW with 21 ft head. Unit No.2, installed in 1932, is rated at 260 kW with 18 ft head. The net head at the site is approximately 18 ft, so the maximum generating capacity of the existing facility is 525 kW. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of augmenting the existing facility with additional capacity, or of replacing the existing units with larger turbine units.