News

2,000-cubic-yard concrete pour set to take place at the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project

Aug 31

The largest concrete pour to date at the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project construction site is expected to take place during the week of Aug. 21. Missouri River Energy Services is building the project adjacent to the Red Rock Dam on the Des Moines River southwest of Pella, Iowa.

This is the first concrete placement that will outline the footprint of the intake structure on the dam’s upstream side. It will involve 200 truckloads or 2,000 cubic yards of concrete. This single pour is enough concrete to build 167 feet of a single lane of interstate highway. It is estimated that the pour will take a minimum of 20 hours to complete and, for the most part, will be conducted at night. The placement will be approximately 60 feet by 112 feet and between 7 and 10 feet thick.

First piece of equipment goes in at the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project

Dec 29

For almost a year and a half, construction work at the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project (RRHP) consisted of “deconstruction” or site preparation work. Temporary coffer dams and a dike were installed to allow work on dry ground, concrete retaining walls were poured, and more than 200,000 cubic yards of dirt and bedrock were excavated; all to prepare for the construction of a power house and water intake structure.

Heller calls for streamlined permitting for hydro projects

Aug 17

MRES CEO Tom Heller participated in a panel discussion May 6 during a U.S. Department of Energy Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) in Des Moines.

Corps of Engineers officers visit Red Rock Hydroelectric Project

Apr 01

Mississippi Valley Division Commander Major General Michael Wehr, Rock Island District Commander Colonel Craig Baumgartner, and others from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attended a presentation Tuesday concerning the development and progress at the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project.

MRES awarded for worker safety at Red Rock Hydroelectric Project

Mar 17

Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) earned a safety award from Liberty Mutual Insurance for outstanding safety during the ongoing construction of the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project near Pella, Iowa.

Liberty Mutual awards its Silver Safety Award to companies for projects that have an incident rate at least 60 percent better than the industry average. MRES is building the project at the existing Red Rock Dam on the Des Moines River. Ames Construction is the general contractor and on Tuesday, MRES provided lunch for all of the construction workers.

MRES CEO Tom Heller, in accepting the award during a luncheon for the construction workers sponsored by MRES, thanked the workers for their commitment and dedication to be safe on the job. “There are many worksite challenges in a project of this magnitude,” Heller said. “Without a strong focus on safety, there could be a lot of potential for accidents. At MRES and at Ames Construction, our first concern is to protect you and the public.”

When complete in 2018, the project will provide enough clean, reliable, renewable hydroelectric energy to meet the needs of about 18,000 homes.