ORPC gets award for in-river power system

The National Hydropower Association has awarded the operational excellence category of its 2016 Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters award to Ocean Renewable Power Co. for ORPC’s RivGen commercialization project, the company announced April 25. ORPC is conducting a multi-year program to commercialize the RivGen technology, a hydrokinetic system for generating electricity from river currents, in the village of Igiugig in southern Alaska. Igiugig is on the banks of the fast-flowing Kvichak River, not far from Lake Iliamna.

The idea is that Igiugig will be able to replace at least some of its expensive diesel-fueled power by power from the hydrokinetic system. The system, which sits on the river bed, has helical shaped turbine blades that drive an electrical generator.

“Remote communities like the Alaskan village of Igiugig often have to rely on fossil fuels like diesel to generate electricity,” said Linda Church Ciocci, executive director of NHA. “ORPC’s RivGen power system is working to be a clean, innovative and affordable energy option for communities worldwide.”

To date ORPC has succeeded in generating power at Igiugig and integrating the power into the village’s power grid. The next phase of the project will involve the testing of some new design concepts, based on lessons learned from the project so far. The Denali Commission, the Alaska Energy Authority, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have all provided funding support for the project.

“ORPC is deeply honored to receive the OSAW Award for Operational Excellence,” said Chris Sauer, president and CEO of ORPC. “We are indebted to the community of Igiugig, our Alaska project team, state and federal regulators, and to the Denali Commission, Alaska Energy Authority, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy and private investors, whose support made this achievement possible.”

- ALAN BAILEY