NEWS RELEASE
Coalition Provisional Authority
http://www.iraqcoalition.org

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Thomas O’Hara, Public Affairs
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Haditha Dam At Full Operation for First Time Since 1990

Baghdad, IRAQ – With the completion of new transmission projects and the rehabilitation of a turbine unit at Haditha Dam in Al Haditha, Iraq, at 5:30 in the afternoon, June 3, 2004, for the first time since 1990 all six turbines were in full operation and the clean hydropower plant operated at full capacity, generating 660 MW.

“The incredible progress at Haditha is just one example of the huge strides made by the US Army Corps of Engineers and its partners to increase the overall capacity of the Iraqi power system,” said Maj. General Ronald L. Johnson, commander of the Gulf Region Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers. “Roland Shumate, our quality assurance rep on site, working in close coordination with Iraqi engineers and plant personnel and our contractor, CH2MHill, have quickly restored a capability at Haditha that had long been neglected during the regime of Saddam Hussein.”

“Our work at Haditha will continue as we train the plant personnel to operate and maintain the new equipment, switchgear and controls. In some cases these technologies represent advances and efficiencies enjoyed by those in the free world for the last thirty years, but not seen before in Iraq,” said Johnson.

Last week, the Coalition Provisional Authority announced one hundred and ten (110) megawatts of electricity, (105 MW derated) was added to the Iraqi power grid as the rehabilitation of Turbine #5 was completed May 31, 2004. The partnership team had also inspected and modified operation of another turbine at the dam, turbine #2, to improve its operation earlier this year.

The operation of the fifth turbine had been hindered due to three cracked runner blades. Additional pumps, controls and motors also had to be replaced.

The $12 million project, administered by CH2MHill, and overseen by Corps personnel in support of the Program Management Office and CPA, began Feb. 6, 2004. At times it has employed more than 100 local Iraqi workers including those who had worked previously at the Haditha Dam.

Previous projects at Haditha have also included the restoration of transmission lines, under contract with Washington Group, Intl., to link the hydropower dam to the Iraqi power grid. Combined, an additional 460 MW of capacity has been added to the overall national grid due to the efforts of this partnering team, according to Robert Goss, project manager for the Restore Iraqi Electricity Directorate for the Corps.

“Everyone involved with this project did an outstanding job,” said Col. C. Kevin Williams, commander of the Corps Central District who executed the project. “From the contractor, the plant personnel, our quality assurance guys, and the Marine and Azerbaijani security forces on the ground - it was a tremendous team effort.”

Stateside Corps expertise was also used in reach back assistance to facilitate the shipment of necessary parts and to provide technical assistance on site, said Williams. Video teleconferencing systems and state-of-the-art engineering tools allowed a virtual engineering team to assist those actually living at the project site, working around the clock, to restore the plant and provide added capacity to the national grid.

As part of a nationwide effort, in part, by the Restore Iraqi Electricity Directorate of the Gulf Region Division, Army engineers, Soldiers and Civilians are working non-stop with contractors and Iraqi workers on-site to restore the dilapidated power infrastructure and improve the quality of life for all of Iraq by increasing the available electricity.

Repairing damages from more than 30 years of neglect under Saddam Hussein, Corps teams are restoring transmission lines, improving or replacing switching facilities and building or restoring more than two dozen power generation projects to produce a capacity not seen in this country before. For more information on the CPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ reconstruction efforts in Iraq, including additional photos, please visit www.cpa-iraq.org  and www.grd.usace.army.mil.

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