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Our water system includes over 2,250 miles of pipe with millions of gallons of water flowing through them everyday. At Sabin HydroPark, we're using that water to generate electricity. Thanks in part to the Portland Clean Energy Fund, that mirco-hydroelectric system is back to full power!
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For over a decade, the Portland Water Bureau has operated the Vernon Micro-Hydroelectric Turbine at Sabin HydroPark. The turbine uses the water flowing through the pipes of our drinking water system to generate clean electricity. This project generates around 140,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) each year, enough to power roughly ten households (see Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator - Calculations and References) The electricity is sold to PacifiCorp and sent to the regional grid.
In 2024, the micro-hydroelectric system was taken offline because it needed repairs. Thanks in part to an $86,000 investment from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), the turbine has been restored to full working order and is once again delivering clean energy to the grid.
The micro-hydroelectric turbine at Sabin HydroPark is just one way the Water Bureau is working to reduce carbon emissions. We also generate about 350,000 kWh a year using solar arrays spread across a number of our facilities. As part of our Net Zero Strategy, our goal is to generate 4 million kWh of renewable electricity a year by 2050. Learn more about our greenhouse gas mitigation and climate resilience work.