On the way back from my Kodiak engagement, I pulled over (twice!) to take photos at a key Texas energy landmark: the Sam Rayburn reservoir and dam.
I spoke at a leadership gathering for Kodiak Gas Services in East Texas on Tuesday.
On the drive out there Monday afternoon, I unexpectedly stumbled across the Sam Rayburn reservoir and dam.\
Construction on the dam began in September 1956. And power generation commenced almost exactly 10 years later, in July 1966.
So it’s been around a while.
And it offers a magnificent view.
But the weather on Monday was gross, so I didn’t stop.
On my drive back on Tuesday, though, the sky was as pretty as it gets.
So I stopped at the reservoir and dam, twice, to get some pictures.
I had to pull over at a rest stop on the north side of Highway 255 to get a good look at the reservoir.
Then I had to move over to the south side of the highway for a view of the power infrastructure.
Those are the two photos I have here.
The dam houses two 26-Megawatt (MW) hydroelectric generators, creating 52 MW when operating at peak capacity.
That’s enough power for around 30,000 homes.
Not an immaterial contribution.
It’s also a particularly visible example of the wide array of energy technologies that come together to power our modern lifestyle (pun intended).
The Kodiak visit was a great trip, made even better by getting a chance to see a Texas energy landmark up close on a strikingly beautiful day.
