Baker River Hydroelectric Project
Lower Baker Dam
PSE's largest hydropower facility is the Baker River Hydroelectric Project. Located on a tributary of the Skagit River in northwest Washington, the project has two dams, each with its own powerhouse. The dams' reservoirs, Baker Lake and Lake Shannon, are fed by runoff from the flanks of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan.
Lower Baker Dam, completed in 1925, is a 285-foot-high concrete structure with 85 megawatts of power-generating capacity. The 312-foot-high Upper Baker Dam, completed in 1959, has a generating capacity of 105 megawatts. The power project contains extensive salmon-propagation facilities, including a new, innovative fish-transport system.
Upper Baker Dam's new "Floating Surface Collector"
The project also provides numerous amenities for public recreation and flood control for communities in the Skagit River Valley. PSE is seeking a new, long-term federal operating license for the project.
Download the PDF fact sheets
Baker River Hydroelectric Project (1 MB)
PSE efforts aim to boost Baker River salmon population (115 KB)
Video animation
Upper Baker Lake Floating Surface Collector (23 MB WMV)
View this animated video illustrating the design and function of the Floating Surface Collector fish transport system at Upper Baker Dam.
KOMO TV newscast
PSE's new system aims to save baby salmon (1:50)
Video clips are in Windows Media Video (.wmv) format and will open in Windows Media Player. Visit Microsoft's Web site to download and install Windows Media Player for windows or Windows Media Player for Mac .