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Carmen-Smith Hydropower Project


The Carmen-Smith Hydropower Project is a network of three dams, three reservoirs, and two power-generating plants, located just a few miles downstream from the headwaters of the McKenzie River. For more than 50 years, Carmen-Smith has reliably served our customers with low-cost hydropower. The plant remains valuable as a carbon-free generation resource that can ramp up and down to meet customers' peak energy needs. In other words, Carmen-Smith operates as a system to store water overnight, and produces power during high usage times when we would otherwise be buying power on the wholesale market during those more expensive hours.




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Carmen-Smith Educational Resources
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Resources to help young readers learn about clean hydropower and the history and importance of the Carmen-Smith project.

Carmen-Smith Natural Resource and Recreation Projects
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Our 40-year operating license at Carmen Smith includes 10 natural resource and recreation management plans and over 300 individual commitments. 

Carmen-Smith License Requirements
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Implementation plans and other FERC license information