Developer rPlus Hydro has submitted an utility for a closing license to the US Federal Power Regulatory Fee for the Seminoe venture– a milestone reached by solely a handful of pumped storage initiatives within the final 20 years.
From pv journal USA
rPlus Hydro, LLP, a developer of enormous pumped storage hydro initiatives, introduced the submission of its utility for a Last License to the US Federal Power Regulatory Fee (FERC) for the 900 MW Seminoe pumped storage venture situated in Carbon County, Wyoming. Based on rPlus Hydro, this milestone has been achieved by solely six pumped storage initiatives in the US since 2000.
The Seminoe pumped storage venture is anticipated to offer 10 hours of full-output vitality storage capability and assist guarantee reliability and dependability of the regional transmission grid, particularly when extra wind and photo voltaic capability comes on-line. With an estimated development price of roughly $2.5 billion, the venture hopes to create as much as 500 expert development jobs in Carbon County inside 4 to 6 years. As soon as operational, the venture will present an estimated 35 full-time expert positions within the space and generate roughly $9 million in extra annual tax income for state and native governments.
Pumped storage hydroelectric storage works by pumping water from a decrease to the next reservoir throughout off-peak intervals. This may be executed at night time or when there’s extra electrical energy generated, equivalent to photo voltaic through the day. When electrical energy is required, the saved water flows down via a turbine, and that vitality is used to generate electrical energy.
“Seminoe pumped storage can be a super match for Wyoming’s glorious wind vitality assets, and can help Wyoming’s function as an vitality chief,” mentioned Matthew Shapiro, CEO of rPlus Hydro. “It should additionally assist guarantee environment friendly use of latest transmission strains which might be, or will quickly be, constructed, such because the Gateway and TransWest Specific strains.”
Within the design of the venture, the decrease reservoir is the present Seminoe Reservoir. The higher reservoir is situated within the Bennet Mountains roughly 1.7 miles east of Seminoe Dam, and is roughly 1,000 ft greater in elevation than Seminoe Reservoir. The 2 reservoirs can be linked by underground tunnels.
An underground powerhouse has gear to generate electrical energy from the ability of water because it flows from an higher reservoir via the powerhouse and right into a decrease reservoir. The identical gear can be used to pump water from the decrease reservoir again to the higher reservoir, enabling the system to restart the cycle if vital.
Power for pumping, and energy generated by the venture, can be delivered via a brand new, 30-mile transmission line connecting the venture to PacifiCorp’s present Aeolus Substation, close to Drugs Bow, Wyoming.
Pumped storage has been used for greater than a century, and there are at the moment 43 initiatives working in the US, in line with rPlus. The submission of The Last License Software is the primary of many main milestones for rPlus Hydro to come back in 2023. rPlus Hydro expects the ultimate license to be granted in March 2025, development to start in October 2026, and industrial operation within the first unit in June 2031, with full operation in September 2031.
rPlus Hydro’s submission to this The ultimate license utility is the fruits of a multi-year research and approval course of that features in-depth engineering designs, environmental assessments, and group engagement. Submitting this utility will launch an environmental evaluation and licensing course of by native, state, and federal companies.
The corporate expects to submit a closing license utility for the White Pine Pumped Storage venture, a 1,000 MW venture situated in White Pine County, Nevada, within the coming months.
The ultimate license utility is on the market right here.
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