PPL Holtwood Begins Work to Install New Boat Ramps at Pequea
PPL Holtwood has begun work to build two new boat ramps and docks and expand the parking area at the Pequea Boat Launch on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County.
“PPL is committed, as part of its operating license for the Holtwood hydroelectric plant, to expanding recreational opportunities for the public along the Susquehanna River,” said John M. Levitski, PPL’s regional community relations director for the Lancaster area.
“This work will improve recreational facilities at Holtwood in time for the summer boating season,” he said. The project is expected to be finished by the middle of May.
For safety reasons, the Pequea boat ramp area and parking lot east of the Bridge Valley Road bridge will be closed to the public during construction. Work will be conducted weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Preliminary work will include installing erosion and sedimentation controls, such as fencing and hay bales, to limit the effect of construction on neighboring properties.
Holtwood Boat Ramps Reopen, New Safety Signage Installed
PPL Holtwood has reopened the Pequea and York Furnace boat ramps to the public on the Susquehanna River, and posted new safety signage for boaters.
“We repaired two strobe lights on the dam, repaired signage and installed new signs at the Pequea and York Furnace boat ramps. The new signs alert boaters to avoid the area downstream of the one-mile warning signs in the river and that the marker buoys 1,000 feet upstream of the dam are not installed,” said John M. Levitski, PPL community relations director for the Lancaster region.
The signage also notifies boaters to use caution with portage access limited to the east shore of the river.
“We’re still dealing with high flows that prevent us from repairing the final two strobe lights,” Levitski said. “Hunters can enjoy the remainder of duck season in south-central Pennsylvania, which lasts until Jan. 14, but it is very important that boaters be safe, follow the information on the new signage and review procedures for cold-weather boating.”
Updates regarding the reopening of the Pequea and York Furnace boat ramps will be available from the Lower Susquehanna River Hotline at 1-800-692-6328.
Boat ramps operated by the nearby Safe Harbor and Conowingo hydroelectric plants remain open.
PPL begins expansion of Holtwood hydroelectric plant
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Fast Facts |
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Total concrete: More than 67,300 cubic yards (mixed on-site) |
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Total re-bar: More than 3,730 tons |
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Total excavation: More 1.5 million cubic yards |
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Plant Information |
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Click here to learn more about the plant. |
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PPL has begun the expansion project at its Holtwood hydroelectric plant on the Susquehanna River about 15 miles south of Lancaster, Pa. >> Click here for a map of construction area closures
The expansion project, with an estimated cost of $434 million, will add enough renewable energy to power 100,000 typical homes. PPL's 125-megawatt increase in generating capacity will more than double Holtwood's existing generating capacity of 108 megawatts.
Additional benefits of the project are improved passage for migratory fish along the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, and improved recreational opportunities.
Expanding the Holtwood plant is part of PPL's commitment to make sound financial investments while increasing the proportion of non-fossil-fuel resources in its generation portfolio.
About 40 percent of the electricity PPL generates annually comes from nuclear, hydroelectric and renewable sources that do not emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.