Note: This release has been edited to include a change in the closure dates. The road over the dam will be open on Monday, July 31 but closed Aug. 1-3.
HELLS CANYON DAM — The road over Hells Canyon Dam will be closed to vehicle traffic during most of the day Aug. 1-Aug. 3 while Idaho Power crews use a crane to perform work on the dam.
On each of those days, the road will be closed to all vehicles from 8 a.m. to noon and again from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. The crane will be moved to allow traffic to pass from noon to 1 p.m. each day. All times are Mountain Standard Time. Travelers headed to the U.S. Forest Service visitors center or the boat launch area below the dam will need to plan their trips around the scheduled closures.
Traffic flaggers will be on hand for the closures. Pedestrians will be allowed to cross when Idaho Power crews determine it is safe to do so.
The closure is necessary for necessary maintenance that requires using a crane on top of the dam to install stop logs — large beams used to control water flow.
Located 21 miles downstream of Oxbow Dam, Hells Canyon Dam is the third and last project in the Hells Canyon Project. It began generating electricity in 1967 and has a generating capacity of 391,500 kilowatts, making it the second-largest of Idaho Power’s 17 hydropower facilities.
About Idaho Power
Idaho Power, headquartered in vibrant and fast-growing Boise, Idaho, has been a locally operated energy company since 1916. Today, it serves a 24,000-square-mile area in Idaho and Oregon. The company’s goal to provide 100% clean energy by 2045 builds on its long history as a clean-energy leader that provides reliable service at affordable prices. With 17 low-cost hydroelectric projects at the core of its diverse energy mix, Idaho Power’s residential, business and agricultural customers pay among the nation’s lowest prices for electricity. Its 2,000 employees proudly serve more than 620,000 customers with a culture of safety first, integrity always and respect for all.
IDACORP Inc. (NYSE: IDA), Idaho Power’s independent publicly traded parent company, is also headquartered in Boise, Idaho. To learn more, visit idahopower.com or idacorpinc.com.
Brad Bowlin
Communications Specialist
bbowlin@idahopower.com
208-388-2803