Future of U.S. Peaking Power to Include Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Plants

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Pumped-storage hydroelectric plants are considered a clean source of renewable energy. The U.S. currently has 32 pumped-storage plants that produce more than 19,000 megawatts (MW). Pumped-storage plants are a closed-loop hydroelectric system that consists of two dams with upper and lower reservoirs. During off hours when the cost of electricity is cheap, the upper reservoir is filled, utilizing the pumping function of the reversible pump hydroelectric turbine/generators. During peak energy times, the water is released to drive the turbine/generators to provide electricity.

There are plans for more than 30 new pumped-storage hydroelectric plants that could produce more than 23,000 MW of additional generation. While the current plants are spread across the country, the new plants are being planned from Texas to the west. Construction of these plants can take from three to six years and costs are estimated to be between $1 million and $1.5 million per MW. The overall cost for the pumped-storage plants that are being planned could easily exceed $34 billion.

Symbiotics LLC (Logan, Utah), a joint venture of the Ecosystems Research Institute (Logan) and Northwest Power Services Incorporated (Rigby, Idaho), is a leader in the development of these projects not only for itself but also for other companies, such as Carrus Land Systems LLC (Logan).

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