NOVI was commissioned by the City of Fort Wayne – Public Works, to evaluate the feasibility of retrofitting an abandoned micro-hydro power station and installing two new micro-hydro power stations at City locations. It was determined, on a preliminary level, that these locations would be viable for hydro power generation and further evaluation was performed. NOVI estimated the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) costs and the economics of constructing and operating these facilities.

Site Evaluations: NOVI has evaluated three possible locations within the City to either retrofit an existing station or install a new hydro power system.

River Flow Data and Generation Potential: Flow data for multiple years was analyzed to determine flow and stage levels at the various river locations within the City. The residual flows of the rivers were estimated as recommended by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and these values, in conjunction with the river data, provided the maximum water flows to potentially be safely diverted from the river for use in the hydro power systems.

Conceptual Design: NOVI evaluated the design of micro-hydro power stations at three potential locations. The hydro power systems will be sized to accommodate the maximum feasible water flow through the intake during the season of low water level, taking the average flow over the course of a year into consideration, and the corresponding maximum head attainable.

Financial Analysis: A financial pro forma analysis was performed to determine the economics of operating these facilities.

Client: Ft. Wayne, Indiana