Appalachian Power’s Byllesby Plant Inducted Into Hydro Hall of Fame
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| Accepting the Hall of Fame recognition in Charlotte for AEP and Appalachian Power were, from left, Henry Parker, James Thrasher and Rob Gallimore of hydro operations, with Marla Barners of HydroVision International. |
(Story by John Shepelwich)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Appalachian Power’s Byllesby hydroelectric plant was inducted as part of the 23rd class of the Hydro Hall of Fame in late June during the keynote session of HydroVision International 2018.
The hall of fame recognizes extraordinary achievements internationally and has an emphasis on longevity. To be eligible, plants must have been in continuous operation for more than a century.
Since 1995, the award has recognized 48 legacy hydropower plants around the world.
Accepting the award for AEP and Appalachian in Charlotte were Rob Gallimore, James Thrasher and Henry Parker, all part of the company’s hydro management team.
The 21.6 megawatt (MW) Byllesby plant is located on New River in southwestern Virginia, about 60 miles from Roanoke. Completed in 1912, the plant was named for H.M. Byllesby, a Chicago investor who helped start Appalachian Power Company.
The plant has four generating units. When commissioned, it supplied some of the first electric power to the area with about 1,500 customers in its first year of operation. Its sister plant, the Buck hydro plant, is located just downstream on New River and was also completed in 1912.
The Byllesby plant is awaiting PJM approval for newly-installed four megawatt energy storage battery system at the site that will provide regulation services to the PJM Interconnection. It is expected to be the first hybrid system of its kind.
The plant is currently undergoing construction work for the installation of some new dam gates.
Other inductees into the hall of fame this year were the 24.6 MW Blewett Falls plant in North Carolina, the 108.8 MW Narrows plant in North Carolina, the 66 MW Upper Bonnington Generating Station in Canada, and the 17.6 MW Miljacka plant in Croatia.
HydroVision international is the world’s largest conference and exhibition dedicated to global hydro, marine energy, dams and civil markets.
It draws about 3,000 attendees representing more than 50 countries.
AEP Retirees & Alumni 
Nice story. Congratulations APCO! I remember as an Engineer for the AEP Service Corporation, visiting the Buck And Byllesby installations during the 1960s. We had a modernization project underway which upgraded the plants electrical switchgear . It replaced the plants original concrete clad cubicles which were considered state of the art in 1912 with modern metal clad equipment. Along with Appalachian power folks , we spoke about the plants history being the birthplace of the modern Appalachian power company. There was a state of the Art in 1912, 88,000 volt transmission line that brought the plant output to the electrical substation in Pulaski Virginia. It is a tribute to the men and women of Appalachian that this facility continues in service to this day and into the future. Congratulations folks, Well Done.!
Lawrence Laaskowski