Lockport Powerhouse |
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The Lockport Powerhouse located on the Main Channel Extension near Lockport, Illinois.
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The Lockport Powerhouse, located on the Main Channel Extension, Lockport, Illinois, was built in 1907 and marks the southwestern extent of the MWRD-managed Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). The Powerhouse is located right before the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal connects with the Des Plaines River. The facility is an integral part of the MWRD's task of managing the CAWS and reducing the risk of flooding throughout the MWRD service area. The Lockport Powerhouse enables the MWRD to control the levels of the canal. In addition to its role in managing the waterways, the Lockport Powerhouse also provides financial benefits from hydroelectric power generation. The water flowing through the facility is harnessed by 2 turbines to provide a safe and environmentally friendly hydroelectric energy source that is sold back to Commonwealth Edison. By the end of December 2018, the Lockport Powerhouse generated 42,004,233 kilowatt hours of power and $1,135,079.84 in revenue. Lockport has generated over $1 million worth of electricity every year for the past 17 years. Here are the annual power generation (in kilowatt hours) and revenue amounts for the Lockport Powerhouse:
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