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McNary Dam Tour

McNary Dam Tour

A Close-up View of Hydroelectric Power: Straight From the Source

Last month, a group from Columbia REA had the opportunity to tour McNary Dam near Umatilla. McNary Dam is 1 of 8 hydroelectric generating dams in our area, four on the Columbia River and four on the Snake River.

The clean, affordable electricity we all depend on starts right here at these Columbia River and Snake River hydroelectric generating stations.

McNary Dam Facts & Figures

McNary Dam: The McNary Dam project began in 1947 and became fully operational in February of 1957. The dam crosses the Columbia River at more than a mile in length.
Power Generation: The Dam houses 14 hydroelectric turbine generators, each able to generate 70,000 kilowatts. Total capacity is 980 megawatts. One megawatt can serve approximately 700 homes.

Columbia REA and Hydropower: More than 75 percent of the electricity provided by Columbia REA is clean, renewable hydropower generated by the Columbia River and Snake River dam system.