USACE awards contract for offline filters at 30-MW hills creek hydroelectric project

SEATTLE, Wash.
October 15, 2013

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a contract to C.C. Jensen, Inc. for Offline Filters at the 30-MW Hills Creek hydropower project on the Middle Fork Willamette River, four miles southwest of Oakridge, Ore.

The scope of the contract calls for the design, manufacture and delivery of Offline Filters for the Hills Creek powerhouse. The depth-type Offline Filters supplied by C.C. Jensen will be used to maintain clean, dry and varnish-free oil in both main unit governor sumps and the oil storage tank

"The purchase of these new Offline Filters for Hills Creek is great news for The Corps and the hydropower industry in general," said Justin Stover, sales manager of C.C. Jensen, Inc. "It creates the opportunity to greatly improve reliability and it allows The Corps to reduce O&M costs. This investment makes sense economically and environmentally. It will mean that they will extend the service life of the equipment and the lubricant, minimizing maintenance efforts and eliminating unscheduled downtime.

"Using the C.C. Jensen Offline Filters will significantly improve the overall cleanliness of the turbine lubricating oil in service at Hills Creek. The typical cleanliness level achieved with C.C. Jensen Offline Filters will range between ISO 15/14/11 and ISO 12/11/10. Currently, several Corps projects across the United States operate hydro turbines with the Offline Filters and they experience minimal oil related problems. Notable projects include Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day. 

This contract is in accord with The Corps recommended best practice of making a one-time investment at its hydro plants to upgrade equipment and contamination control practices. This practice ensures that wear and varnish particles in the oil are efficiently removed, preventing further generation of contamination.

About C.C. Jensen, Inc. 
Founded in 1953, C.C. Jensen has been on a mission to provide clean oil and bright ideas for industries across the globe. Clean and dry oil in machinery impacts multiple bottom lines: economic, social, and environmental. We strive to help our customers to protect their assets through the application of efficient and effective oil filter systems that remove destructive contaminants. We advance this mission through education, professional service, personal support and high quality products.