Members of the Lake Barkley Power Plant staff, along with the R3F Light Capacity Fleet, and a dive team from the Nashville District have been hard at work removing debris drawn into the Barkley power generators from the Cumberland River.
According to a post on the Lake Barkley social media page, the settling of debris — over time — limits the amount of water coming into the generators’ intake and remains there until it can be removed by machinery.
If the debris is not removed, officials said it can result in a major loss of efficiency and hinder the ability of the power plant to make the most power used for the amount of water coming through.
From January 17 through January 23, officials indicate maintenance crews worked 20 hours a day, split into two 10-hour shifts to remove the debris, ensuring the generators were running at optimum efficiency.
Lake Barkley officials said over the next few months there will be some additional maintenance to ensure the power plant continues to run optimally and provide the most efficient hydropower.
