Chippewa River Hydro System

Xcel Energy operates 19 hydroelectric plants in Wisconsin, with a total generating capacity of about 260 megawatts (MW). Six of those plants are on the Chippewa River, and collectively account for almost one-third of Xcel Energy's total hydro generation capacity.

Hydro Description: Hydroelectric generation begins with a dam that holds back a river and diverts flow through a powerhouse. Falling water that flows through propeller-like turbines causes them to rotate. The rotation of these turbines spins generators to produce electricity. The amount of electricity generated from each unit is determined largely by volume of water flow and "head," or the height from the water surface at the dam reservoir to the water surface downstream.

Hydro Highlights: As a source of electricity, hydropower is advantageous in that the fuel costs nothing. In addition, hydro facilities have low operating and maintenance costs, and their useful lifetime is well over 50 years.

From an environmental perspective, hydro is a clean, renewable fuel, and Xcel Energy manages its dam operations to protect the aquatic environment and improve recreational opportunities

Plant Descriptions

The Chippewa River drops nearly 700 feet in elevation along its 120-mile length, making it ideal for hydro generation. A recently signed agreement with a dozen different organizations will allow for continued operation of the plants for more than 30 years. Here is a brief overview of our Chippewa River hydro plants:

Holcombe Hydro (35 MW)
The first hydro plant downstream from the Chippewa reservoir dam, Holcombe was completed in 1950 to provide peaking power for the post-World War II boom. The Holcombe dam created 4,000-acre Lake Holcombe, which furnishes excellent recreational opportunities.

Cornell (31 MW)
The company acquired the Cornell plant from a paper company in 1929, and in the 1970s, in the face of the oil embargo, redeveloped the site to increase generation from 22 to 31 megawatts.

Jim Falls (57 MW)
Thanks to a $92 million redevelopment project in the mid-1980s, Jim Falls has the distinction of being the largest hydro facility in Wisconsin in terms of generating capacity. Along with construction of the new plant, the project included construction of a new bridge at the site to reroute a county highway and the addition of an adjacent spillway, expanding the size of Old Abe Lake by 60 acres. The lake is named after "Old Abe, the War Eagle," a mascot of the Wisconsin regiment in the Civil War, and is home to eagles and other birds. Other features of the Jim Falls project involved the creation of additional bird and fish habitat, as well as a wheelchair-accessible fishing dock and wildflower walking trail.

Wissota (36 MW)
Located just northeast of the city of Chippewa Falls, Wissota is the control center for most of Xcel Energy's Wisconsin hydro plants. Although Jim Falls ranks above Wissota in generating capacity, Wissota's average annual electricity production is greater because of its higher head and additional inflow from the Yellow River. Completed in 1918,Wissota hydro represents the labor of some 700 workers who lived in a small town built at the site. Construction of the dam created 6,300-acre Lake Wissota and is the home of nearby Lake Wissota State Park.

Chippewa Falls Hydro (23 MW)
This plant was built in 1928 in the city of Chippewa Falls at the site of an old lumber mill. It was the first plant constructed in Wisconsin by Northern States Power Company, a predecessor to Xcel Energy. The facility and its surrounding scenery present an impressive spectacle for visitors crossing the bridge to Chippewa Falls from the south side of town.

Dells Hydro (9.3 MW)
The last and smallest of the Chippewa River plants, Dells Hydro is located in Eau Claire. The original Dells dam was built in 1878 during the logging boom. A new dam was built in 1924, 100 feet downstream of the original structure. That dam was the focus of major maintenance work in 1979 and most recently in 2001.

Contact Information:

• Plant Information and Tour Requests — 1-800-895-4999
• Media Inquiries — 715-839-2565