pumped storage colorado

Its a pretty special place for a lot of different people.. The bonus for other users is that the water Pumped-storage hydropower won't be the answer to Xcel's need for dispatchable zero-carbon energy. The utility is seeking federal approval to build the states largest hydropower project on the Western Slope in Unaweep Canyon south of Grand Junction, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), A composite image taken east of the intersection of Wildcat Trail and Colorado Highway 141 near the Unaweep Divide in Mesa County shows the possible location of a reservoir for Xcel Energy's proposed Unaweep Pumped Storage Project. We all knew this day was coming, Dean Rickman, a Unaweep resident, said in an email to canyon residents early Tuesday. Utilities are scrambling to get renewable energy projects online to meet those goals. Black Hills Energy (18) pumped-storage hydro (9) The company has exclusive purchase options for 4,900 acres. This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter(s). And leading that renaissance is pumped-hydroelectric generation, Ciocci said. He built the place more than 30 years ago. Contact Title: Plant Supervisor Organization: Organization Fax: 719-486-3631 Phone: 719-486-2325 Two proposed pumped water storage projects that could expand Colorados ability to store renewable energy one in Fremont County and another between Hayden and Craig in the Yampa River Valley are moving forward. That includes Cabin Creek, Xcel Energys 324-megawatt pumped storage unit near Georgetown. Pumped water storage has been refined in recent decades but the basic principles remain unchanged. . Learn more at, Photos and videos: Arkansas River, Colorado, March 2021, Photos and videos: Twin Lakes, Colorado, March 2021, Photos and videos: Rio Grande near San Antonio, New Mexico, August 2022, Photos and videos: Rio Grande near Fort Craig, New Mexico, August 2022, Data viz: Elephant Butte Reservoir levels, to increase the volume, depth and power of journalism, https://www.watereducationcolorado.org/fresh-water-news/, www.watereducationcolorado.org/fresh-water-news/. A lot of sweat I put into that place, he said. What about endangered wildlife in the canyon? Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Unaweep Canyon near Grand Junction, Aug. 24, 2022. The energy company wants to develop a closed-loop project that would move water between two new 4,800 acre-foot reservoirs on private land to generate up to 600 megawatts of electricity. Still another idea is said to be in formulation in southwestern Colorado, but no details could be gleaned about that project. While batteries may be flashier, pumped-storage hydro can offer the same benefits without mining for minerals or worrying about disposal of used batteries. There wasnt any shouting or name calling. After collecting comments and perspective from the utility, the federal commission will issue its final decision on the early permit. Very few projects have made it that far since the turn of the millennium. But this project is really early and we have a whole lot of work to do to even figure out if this makes sense at all.. The company has exclusive purchase options for 4,900 acres. Everything you can see right here will be underwater.. Xcel, the largest electricity provider in Colorado with 1.5 million customers, plans to spend $1.6 billion on the project, which would be the utilitys second pumped hydro storage plant in the state. This includes directly interviewing sources and research / analysis of primary source documents. The Future of Energy Storage in Colorado Opportunities, Barriers, Analysis, and Policy Recommendations Prepared for the Colorado Energy Office June 28, 2019 . (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun / EcoFlight), How gun violence in Colorado hit a 40-year high, Tuesday accepted Xcel Energys application for a preliminary permit, a possible site for the hydropower project, big part of Xcels mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Ortus Climate Mitigation wants to build a 500-megawatt pumped water storage facility on the South Slope of Pikes Peak above the town of Penrose in Fremont County. Penrose is about 30 miles from both Colorado Springs and Pueblo and major transmission lines. This facility essentially a giant battery for energy storage would require two reservoirs. Pumped storage technology is considered one of the most viable solutions for renewable energy storage needs. Gish hopes to have a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2026. The farm where Janie VanWinkle was born and raised is underwater in Xcels Unaweep proposal. No. This is just so preliminary. This includes directly interviewing sources and research / analysis of primary source documents. Everyone, not just me, would lose if this place is swamped.. It works like a giant battery, providing power during peak demand in the evening, when the flow of electricity ebbs from traditional renewable sources like wind and solar. The BLM offered feedback on protecting vistas along the Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway along Colorado 141, as well as issues with wildlife on the Uncompahgre Plateau and in the canyon, Wolfgang said. So its not a very efficient battery. Completed in 1967 and operated by Xcel Energy, it serves as effectively a giant battery with a four-hour life, the same as a humongous . That includes Cabin Creek, Xcel Energys 324-megawatt pumped storage unit near Georgetown. Tri-State Generation and Transmission (65) Phantom Canyon, as Ortus calls its project in Fremont County, would require 17,000 acre-feet of water for the initial fill of the two reservoirs to be augmented by about 1,500 acre-feet annually due to losses from evaporation. I feel like this whole thing just hasnt been thought through, says Ashcraft, kicking through sage near a small pond he built to capture snowmelt for wildlife he watches from a tripod-mounted spotting scope in his living room. Theres value beyond energy in a lot of these projects, she said. I realize the uncertainty and ambiguity is not welcomed, said Terri Eaton, the director of regulatory administration and compliance at Xcel, during a tense meeting with Unaweep residents in Gateway in May. Colorado air quality regulators are ordering closure of three coal-fired power plants by 2028 to help the state meet greenhouse reduction targets. One option is to place solar panels over the reservoirs, producing energy while shading the water. This technology even today is responsible for 93% of energy storage in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Pumped hydro storage is actually one of the more . There are many power producers in the state, with hydro plants of all sizes. It also has secured 12 easements for pipeline access from the lower reservoir to the Arkansas River. That process will likely include the use of eminent domain to acquire land and rights of way. Work continues on geological assessments and other elements, but he says that a lot of other pieces need to come together before there is real progress.. Xcel Energy sketched its conceptual plan for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as part of an application for a preliminary permit that would allow the company to more closely study the site for a power plant that would produce 800 megawatts of electricity an hour for 8 to 10 hours a night. Pumped storage hydropower is a technology that stores low-cost off-peak, excess, or unusable electrical energy. Of them, 24 with a combined capacity of about 16.5 gigawatts are in operation. Pumped-storage hydro power plants spend more energy pumping water uphill during the day than they generate when the water tumbles downhill. Colorado will need far more energy storage than exists now if it is to attain its mid-century goals of 100% renewable energy. Penrose is about 30 miles from both Colorado Springs and Pueblo and major transmission lines. Other utilities also have batteries or plan to acquire them. The "pumped storage" facility would pump water more than 1,500 feet uphill during the day, when electricity is plentiful and boosted by solar power, and would generate power at night by letting. The same applies to our Seminoe project in Wyoming, he says. The place sips propane to stay warm. Work continues on geological assessments and other elements, but he says that a lot of other pieces need to come together before there is real progress.. The Mount Elbert Forebay also holds water from the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, a large-scale water capture and storage project, under construction from 1964 to 1981 by the Bureau of Reclamation, that uses a network of tunnels and reservoirs to bring water from one side of the Continental Divide to the other. Water to fill the reservoirs in the closed-loop, pumped-storage project would be delivered via a 19-mile pipeline from the Gunnison River. In addition to having water, that portion of the Yampa Valley also has the advantage of transmission lines erected to dispatch power from the five coal-burning units that are now scheduled to close between 2025 and 2030. But once built and operating, the maintenance costs are very, very low, and the system will last, if properly maintained, a century or longer. Xcels Public Service Company of Colorado identified the western Colorado canyon as a possible site for the hydropower project, which would move water between two reservoirs to generate emissions-free electricity when wind and solar power fade at night. The settlement reached with the Forest Service deals with issues such as fish passages, water quality management plans, and road removal. The company says it has accumulated water rights. The upper reservoir is created by a concrete-faced, rock-filled dam with a structural height of 210 feet, and a total length, including the spillways, of 1,458 feet. Little Colorado River Pumped Storage Project STATUS: Canceled Less than a half mile from the boundary with Grand Canyon National Park, this project also included two dams. A mess of metates Native American grinding stones are over in the dense pinion. The average Colorado household uses about. Email: jason@coloradosun.com Twitter: @jasonblevins Colorado will need green energy storage of some type if it is to attain its mid-century goals of 100% renewable energy. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has accepted Xcels application for a preliminary permit to study a massive hydropower project in Unaweep Canyon, where residents are promising a fight. The proposed Salt Trail Canyon and Little Colorado River projects would have used a technique called pumped hydro. The State of Colorado in the U.S. is known to many as a beautiful vacation destination, but its also got a rich connection to the hydroelectric power industry. The utility, which plans to close its Comanche 3 power plant the largest remaining coal-fired electric plant in the West by 2035 provides electricity to 1.5 million customers in Colorado. The company says it has accumulated water rights. Duane Highley (9) The investment tax credit, in effect, helps lower the cost of energy storage to the utility customers and thus to the ratepayers., See also: A biggest ever for battery storage in Colorado, Big Pivots, Nov. 2, 2022, aridification (12) Residents asked about light pollution and noise. Public Service will raise the parapet wall on the upper reservoir dam by 4.5 feet to provide about an additional 75 acre-feet of storage in the upper reservoir, and an additional 93,659 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually. The peregrines nest up on the cliffs. As Colorados largest utility, with 1.5 million electricity customers, pushes toward its goal of delivering 100% carbon-free power by 2050, the company is seeking federal approval for the states largest hydropower project on the Western Slope in Unaweep Canyon south of Grand Junction. Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (10) The water would follow about 19 miles of new pipeline and it would take about a year to move 6,900 acre-feet into the reservoirs. It also has secured 12 easements for pipeline access from the lower reservoir to the Arkansas River. The proposal also puts his neighbors' homes and Colorado 141 underwater. Colorado Springs Utilities (9) A 19-mile pipeline with five booster stations would fill the reservoirs from a new well field next to the Gunnison River near the village of Whitewater. In that period, humans removed . Indicates that a Newsmaker/Newsmakers was/were physically present to report the article from some/all of the location(s) it concerns. The water is released from the higher reservoir as needed to meet Xcels mid-day peak demands, then pumped uphill when energy is cheap and relatively plentiful. A 360-foot long, 90-foot wide, 150-foot tall underground cavern a powerhouse would house three pump turbines, which would generate electricity 10 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are not efficient. Pumped storage hydro facilities consume more energy than they create when they pump that water uphill. A water storage tank sits atop taxi driver Aurelio Hernndez's home in Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, May 12, 2023. Historically, it was used in the United States to meet fluctuating power demands in conjunction with nuclear power plants. Colorado River Compact (9) Xcel has not released detailed plans as it waited for federal approval to move forward. The company needs a location that does not impact an active water source. It consists of a constructed upper reservoir and a powerhouse located on the lower reservoir, two connected lakes, aptly called Twin Lakes. Thats what I see as the biggest issue around all this, she said. The capital investment up front is quite high, but when you run the financial models over 30, 50 or 60 years, this technology is, hands down, the cheapest technology on the market for [energy] storage.. I dont know at this juncture whether this will be viable project and I dont think it will take an enormous amount of money to figure it out., In August, Paul Ashcraft pointed out the window of a Cessna 210 as it soared over Unaweep Canyon. And in the case of the Craig-Hayden project, the project would qualify for an additional bonus tax credit due to its location near retiring or retired coal mines and/or coal generating stations. But this project is really early and we have a whole lot of work to do to even figure out if this makes sense at all.. The Mount Elbert Powerplant opened southwest of Leadville in 1981 with a capacity of 200 megawatts. It consists of a constructed upper reservoir and a powerhouse located on the lower reservoir, two connected lakes, aptly called Twin Lakes. Power providers have spent $7.8 billion on upgrades to pumped-storage hydro facilities since 2010. Gish, a co-founder of Ortus, says his company is keenly aware of water scarcity issues in Colorado and looks into ways to reduce the evaporative loss and hence shave water needs. All those years would involve more public meetings and chances for residents to voice concerns. The company says it has accumulated water rights. Gish hopes to have a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2026. Ortus Climate Mitigation wants to build a 500-megawatt pumped water storage facility on the South Slope of Pikes Peak above the town of Penrose in Fremont County. About 45 days a year the wells would pump an annual 673 acre-feet to replenish water lost from evaporation on the two reservoirs. We may come back in a year and tell you we will not be moving forward., One resident asked if its even possible for landowners to successfully fight a utility pursuing national energy goals. McCloud brought Xcel executives from company headquarters in Minneapolis and Denver to the meeting. The companys early plan calls for five wells next to the Gunnison River near Whitewater that would pump up to 800 gallons per minute to fill the hydro-power system. Xcel wants to use gravity and moving water its called pumped-storage hydropower to generate clean electricity for more than 325,000 homes. This facility - essentially a giant battery for energy storage - would require two reservoirs. He and the executives used the words conceptual and preliminary dozens of times. In principle we think pumped storage is a viable approach if the local impacts can be addressed, Toor told an economic development group in Grand Junction earlier this year. Work continues on geological assessments and other elements, but he says that a lot of other pieces need to come together before there is real progress.. The method stores energy in the form of gravitational potential energy of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity ( PSH ), or pumped hydroelectric energy storage ( PHES ), is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing. The Colorado River Aqueduct, which conveys water to . These include the Bureau of Reclamation, City of Boulder, Colorado Springs Utilities, Denver Water, Northern Water and Xcel Energy. . Shapiro hopes to also use Colorado-sourced water to generate electricity in a pumped-storage project on the North Platte River in Wyoming. Commissioner Eric Blank, the chairman of the public utilities commission, said supporting Xcels investigation of possible renewable energy projects creates misaligned incentives but suggested that the commission could allow up to $5 million in ratepayers support for preliminary planning of renewable energy plans. Xcels Cabin Creek facility above Georgetown opened in 1967 and drops water 1,500 vertical feet to generate up to 324 megawatts of electricity. In addition to having water, that portion of the Yampa Valley also has the advantage of transmission lines erected to dispatch power from the five coal-burning units that are now scheduled to close between 2025 and 2030. Western Resource Advocates (18) We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If not, the rest of the process is a much more difficult proposition., In Western Colorado, Xcel faced local opposition but also the more daunting process of permitting for a project on federal land. The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. In the Craig-Hayden area, Matthew Shapiro, chief executive of rPlus Hydro, had been examining sites that are on private land. Xcel Energy (93), Allen Best is a Colorado-based journalist who publishes an e-magazine called Big Pivots. Colorado River (29) The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. We hope to destroy no homes, McCloud said. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun / EcoFlight) Xcel Energy has killed its plan to build a hydropower project in Unaweep Canyon. Pueblo (15) One significant hurdle standing between the United States and its goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035 and a net-zero energy economy by 2050 is a lack of clean energy storage, reads a November 2021 U.S. Department of Energy announcement of a new web-based tool to help power providers assess pumped-storage hydropower. natural gas (22) This is bigger than energy needs or clean technology. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Two proposed pumped water storage projectsone in near Penrose in Fremont County and another between Hayden and Craig in the Yampa River Valleyare moving forward. I have found that the local stakeholders are the first people you need to talk to about a project like this, Gish says, If you are able to get local support, the rest of the pieces will tend to fall into place. The Xcel executives said its been a while since the utility launched a new major power generation facility. Water is released from a higher reservoir to generate power when electricity is most in demand and expensive. Gish, who has worked in renewable energy for 25 years, says no potential red flags were noted. Colorado General Assembly (11) The Colorado Sun jason@coloradosun.com They declined to say for sure, but Rickman pressed. The company has exclusive purchase options for 4,900 acres. Its expensive, but power providers see PSH projects providing clean electricity for centuries, said Linda Ciocci, the executive director of the Hydropower Foundation. Just by announcing this theres a cloud over our properties now, said James Farkas, who lives part of the year next door to Ashcraft and will lose his entire property if the project moves forward as planned. Tijuana facing water crisis as Colorado River declines, Colorados tribal nations deeply worried after federal water rights case rejected at the U.S. Supreme Court, Las Vegas water cops catching offenders one at a time, Soil bacteria IDd as new tool in removing PFAS from drinking water, Colorado angler vows to fight on in quest to broaden public access to states rivers, U.S. Supreme Court rejects Navajo bid to secure water rights. We are also engaging with the community and key stakeholders as part of the process.. Colorado has two existing pumped-storage hydro projects. The lower reservoir, at 7,075 feet above sea level would be 88 acres, with the same amount of water behind a 73-foot dam. Of Xcels six hydroelectric power plants including the Ames Hydroelectric Generating Plant near Ophir, built in 1890 as the countrys first alternating current hydro power plant only Cabin Creek uses pumped-storage technology. Stay informed about daily HYDRO REVIEW news, podcasts, training videos, webcasts, commentary, and exclusive articles about HYDRO REVIEW. The walls of his house are thick and energy efficient. A steel-lined penstock with a diameter of 22 feet would run 4,900 feet between the two reservoirs. Unlikean unsuccessful attempt by Xcelin 2021 to build a pumped water storage project in Unaweep Canyon on federal land in Western Colorado, the Ortus project near Pikes Peak would involve only private land. What would the fencing look like? It is a configuration of two water reservoirs at different elevations that can generate power as water moves down from one to the other (discharge), passing through a turbine. Its a pretty big deal, Shapiro said. (AP Photo/Carlos A. Moreno) - These batteries typically have a capacity of just a few hours. Still another idea is said to be in formulation in southwestern Colorado, but no details could be gleaned about that project. Construction would take up to five years after the permit is approved. Corps balancing water levels behind Dworshak Dam to maintain, Eco Wave Power to repurchase up to 10% of company shares, Kleinschmidt to perform shortnose sturgeon passage study for, GE Vernova awarded contract to supply rotor poles for Aurlan. Thats my home. Los Angeles, CA . If Xcel gets the preliminary permit from FERC, which is likely, the company would study the plan for three years. A few dozen canyon residents Unaweepers, they call themselves gathered at the Gateway Community Center later that afternoon. Thats enough to power about 326,000 homes when power from solar and wind is not as robust. Xcel wants to use gravity and moving water - it's called pumped-storage hydropower - to generate clean electricity for more than 325,000 homes. Two smaller pumped-storage units are located near Leadville. Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (12) Other goals of the settlement include maintaining and increasing vegetation near the river, restoring riparian habitats, protecting endangered species, and constructing campsites. The Bureau of Land Management had an informal meeting with Xcel to discuss the possibility of the project on BLM lands in Unaweep Canyon, said Greg Wolfgang, the field manager of the Grand Junction Field Office in the BLMs Upper Colorado River District. There must be rights of way to allow for many miles of 120-foot transmission towers. . The "closed-loop" project is located off-stream, which means the project will not . It also has secured 12 easements for pipeline access from the lower reservoir to the Arkansas River. Opened in 1967 (with slightly smaller capacity), it consists of two reservoirs, the higher one at 10,018 feet above Georgetown and then a lower reservoir. Colorado (HQ) 5490 Tenino Ave. Boulder, C0 80303. Proximity to water sources matters, and so does the location relative to transmission. Public Service Co. of Colorado (7) Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. In fact, in April 2021, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed HB21-1052, Define Hydroelectricity as Renewable Energy, concerning the inclusion of some pumped hydroelectric energy generation in the definition of "eligible energy resources" for purposes of meeting Colorado's renewable energy standard (RES). on the Colorado mainstem. Is there something youd like to add or correct? Yet. Farmers weigh tough choices as uncertain water future looms. Unaweep Canyon is a geologic wonder, with creeks that drain the canyon in two directions. In the Yampa Valley, another developer continues to plug away at a potential application for a site somewhere between Hayden and Craig. Every time we look out the window, its threatening us.. The influential rancher, who serves as president of the Colorado Cattlemens Association, traces her familys roots back to the pastures on Unaweep Divide where Ashcraft, Farkas and 10 others have homes. Cabin Creek Generating Station, between Georgetown and Guanella Pass, harnesses a 1,200-foot vertical drop to produce up to 324 megawatts of electricity. It has a discharge capacity of 108 cubic feet per second (cfs). Lake Powell (9) Very few projects have made it that far since the turn of the millennium. Earth's tilt has changed by 31.5 inches (80 centimeters) between 1993 and 2010 because of the amount of groundwater humans have pumped from the planet's interior. The rural Colorado piece is important, she said. The next steps will include public comment. Gish hopes to have a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2026. This facility essentially a giant battery for energy storage would require two reservoirs. Understanding the Environmental Study Life Cycle in the United States Hydropower Licensing and Federal Authorization Process, Copco 2 Deconstruction Begins on Klamath River, 6 things You Need To Know About The Klamath River Dam Removals, Our policy on diversity, equity, and inclusion, Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII). The company last year laid out the preliminary plans with Fremont County planners and hosted a meeting in Canon City to which environmental groups and others were invited. Reach him at, Copyright 2021 Big Pivots ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Can pumped-hydro help Colorado utilities integrate more, A biggest ever in Colorado for battery storage, Energy markets beat storage as Colorado utilities, Hydro at 10,000 Feet: Modernizing the Renewable Infrastructure., A biggest ever for battery storage in Colorado,, Advancing data to better manage Western water. But the Unaweep turbines could produce enough energy to power about 326,000 homes for eight hours during moments of high demand when the electricity from wind and solar fade with daylight. building electrification (11) Penrose is about 30 miles from both Colorado Springs and Pueblo and major transmission lines. Xcel Energy wants to build a pumped-storage hydropower project in the canyon. Unlike an unsuccessful attempt by Xcel in 2021 to build a pumped water storage project in Unaweep Canyon on federal land in Western Colorado, the Ortus project near Pikes Peak would involve only private land. One option is to place solar panels over the reservoirs, producing energy while shading the water. There has to be available water rights. In the Craig-Hayden area, Matthew Shapiro, a principal in green energy company Gridflex Energy, had been examining sites that are on private land. Pumped-storage hydro projects allow energy to be stored then released as needed to generate electricity. But once built and operating, the maintenance costs are very, very low, and the system will last, if properly maintained, a century or longer. In January, rPlus Hydro, filed for a license application with FERC for the project on Seminoe Reservoir. Capital University Student Services, Articles P