Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) is the only proven gridscale storage solution and consists of pumping and generating by moving energy in the form of water through a powerhouse between an upper and lower reservoir

1. What is pumped storage?
„„ Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) is the only provengrid-
scalestoragesolution and consists of pumping and generating
by moving energy in the form of water through a powerhouse
between an upper and lower reservoir
„„ PSHisprolific -thereare39PSHplantsinoperationintheUSand
270pumpedstorageplantseitheroperatingorunderconstruction
globally
„„ Withadjustablespeedpump-turbines,PSHcanprovidefrequency
regulationandspinningreserveinbothpumpandgeneration
modes —superiorflexibility
What’s Pumped Storage got to do with it?
Nathan Sandvig
The last major PSH project built almost
2 decades ago in the US is the 1,035-MW
Rocky Mountain Pumped-Storage
Hydroelectric Plant in Georgia
Fast-response, Carbon-free Flexibility is Needed
The electrical system in the Pacific Northwest is projected to experience
considerable stress in the future as a result of increased renewable
deployments, greater need for wide area balancing, changing loads and
generation fleets and climate change.
The following stressors will significantly increase the need for flexibility:
„„ Creationofmarketopportunitiesforforflexibleresources,suchasEnergyImbalance
Markets(EIM),on5minutetimeframes
„„ OptimizationofmultipleusesofFederalColumbiaRiverPowerSystem(FCRPS)suchasflood
control,navigation,hydropower,irrigationandtheBiologicalOpinions(Bi-Ops)regulated
changestoflowandspill
„„ RenegotiationoftheColumbiaRiverTreatyexpiringin2024thatgovernstheUSand
CanadianColumbiaRiveroperations
„„ EnvironmentalProtectionAgency’sCleanEnergyPlan,coalplantretirementsandleast-cost,
low-carbonresourcealternatives
„„ ClimateChangeandimpactsonsnowfall andsnowmelt
„„ IncreasedOversupplyofwindandhydropowerduringlowdemandperiodsresultingin
negativepricingandspill
„„ RegionalincreasesinRenewablePortfolioStandards(RPS)suchasWashingtonState2015
ClimateLegislation
„„ California50%RPSandmitigationof“duckcurve”vis-à-visAC/DCInterties
Wind Energy Integration Challenges in the Northwest
Wind Energy Opportunities in the Northwest
Non-dispatchable wind
over 6 day period 3680 MW, Wind over
a 24-hour period
The proposed John Day Pool (JD Pool) PSH Project is one concept at the top of a
wide array of alternatives that could significantly address regional power and water
objectives. This anticipated “closed-loop,” 1200-MW, 20-hour, storage system,
located near the John Day Dam, would be a large, flexible asset. The site is judged
one of the premier sites for PSH development in the Northwest, if not the West.
CaseStudy: JohnDayPumpedStorageHydropowerProject
„„ JD Pool is rankedhighlyin terms of technical
attractivenessrelative to other sites in the US
ƒƒ High-head site (> 2000 feet)
ƒƒ Favorable geology
„„ Nearsignificanthigh-voltagetransmission
ƒƒ Existing 500-kV Rock Creek-John Day,
500-kV McNary-John Day, 230-kV
Harvelum-Big Eddy and 500-kV Big Eddy-
Knight (under construction)
ƒƒ Northern terminus of AC/DC Interties
that import and export energy to and from
the Northwest and Southwest (4800MW
transfer capacity)
„„ Located in closeproximitytosignificant
renewabledevelopment – over 3,500MW of
Oregon and Washington Gorge wind with
interconnectivity to California
Barriers Preventing New PSH Development in the US
1. Economic analysis and modeling for sub-hourly energy grid services and
environmental benefits must capture PSH value as both generation and load
2. Market and regulatory framework to support a PSH project
3. Financial partnerships are needed to invest, long lead-time project with certainty
of cost-recovery, rate of return and return on investment
Environmental
Benefits
The successful marriage of energy
storage with wind power production
holds great promise for the wind
industry and the next quantum leap
in market growth. PSH can unlock
the greater value of existing and
future wind energy by integrating
renewables with no Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) impacts. 80m Wind Speed Columbia Gorge Area Operational Projects
Bonneville Power Administration
(BPA) holds a substantial amount of
reserves to balance wind (900MW
incremental, 1100MW decremental).
BPA’s integration of wind is the highest
amount as a percentage of load of any
utility in the country (4782 MW).
Wind is technically challenging to
dispatch and has large ramping events
in the Northwest.
ƒƒ Greenhouse Gas Reduction
ƒƒ Renewable Integration
ƒƒ Ecosystem Function