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Shoshone Generating Station

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Shoshone Generating Station

The Shoshone Hydroelectric Generating Station is a hydroelectric power plant on the Colorado River east of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. In addition to its power output, the water rights the plant uses are among the oldest on the Colorado River, and play a major role in the flow of water to the Wester

n Slope of Colorado. The Shoshone plant was constructed in the early 1900s, with its turbines installed in 1906 and power generation beginning in 1909. The plant has a maximum capacity of 15 MW from two 7.5 MW generators driven by two turbines, though typical power output is around 14 MW. Water to drive the turbines is drawn from the river at a dam about 2 miles (3.2 km) upstream of the powerplant, and carried through tunnels to penstocks above the station, after which it is returned to the river. Shoshone is owned and operated by Xcel Energy, and while its power output is comparatively small against most of the utility's generating stations, it is used to balance regional electricity needs. Shoshone holds water rights to 1,250 cubic feet (35 m3) per second of Colorado River water, which date back to 1902. This predates rights owned by entities on Colorado's Front Range, which draw...

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