Developers of a new pumped storage hydropower installation in Washington state said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued an operating license for the project.
Rye Development, a U.S.-based developer of pumped storage hydropower, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), on behalf of its Flagship Fund CI V, on January 22 said FERC gave the go-ahead for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project. The planned facility will be located on private land at the site of a former aluminum smelter near Goldendale, Washington. Officials on Thursday said the project will store electricity for up to 12 hours, and generate 1,200 MW of on-demand power.
“This is a landmark moment for the Pacific Northwest,” said Erik Steimle, Rye Development’s chief development officer. “With electricity demand and energy costs on the rise, this license represents a huge step toward a more reliable grid and affordable energy prices for the region.”
Pumped-hydro storage involves pumping water uphill when there is a power surplus on the grid, and then releasing it downhill, through generators, when more electricity is needed.
The Goldendale project is sited at the former Columbia Gorge Aluminum smelter. The site also is located within the Tuolumne Wind Farm, and could use existing roads and transmission lines. The entire project area is located within Klickitat County’s Energy Overlay Zone, a designation aimed at streamlining energy development.
“Redeveloping the Columbia Gorge Aluminum smelter into a clean energy resource has been a longtime vision of this community,” said Richard Foster, economic development director for Klickitat County. “The project revitalizes our community with good-paying jobs, stimulates local economic growth and enhances our leadership in renewable energy.”