California pumped storage project will likely not require a federal license
360-megawatt Bison Peak Pumped Storage, in the renewable-energy rich Tehachapi area, would be the only proposed project of its kind in California to achieve this status
An August 1 ruling from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) confirms that if Bison Peak Pumped Storage – a “closed loop” pumped storage hydropower project – supplies its planned 1,300 acre-feet of fill water from groundwater sources, then a license would not be required under the Federal Power Act. Removed from federal licensing, the project would require only county-level and state level permitting, giving it a distinctive development advantage over other proposed pumped storage projects. Voluntary federal licensing would, however, remain an option. The project currently holds a preliminary permit from FERC.
Pumped storage, also known as pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), is the best-established form of utility-scale energy storage, with more than 35 large plants operating in the US and more than 130 around the world. It works by using surplus or off-peak electricity to pump water from a lower elevation to a higher elevation, and then releasing the water back into the lower through turbines to produce power. Several such plants are in operation in California, but the tremendous growth in variable and intermittent solar and wind has renewed interest in the technology, which remains the lowest-cost form of energy storage. Pumped storage plants also have the advantage of very long life-spans – easily exceeding 60 years – which makes them particularly economical versus short life-span batteries.
Pumped storage applications, even those of a “closed-loop” design (no natural waterways), typically trigger at least one of the requirements for licensing from FERC. This is an arduous and fairly expensive process. Bison Peak is one of few projects in the nation that have been determined to not require a license if fed from groundwater sources. Gridflex believes that the project can rely solely on groundwater because its combination of high head (a vertical drop greater than 2,100 feet) and moderate sizing (360 megawatts of power with six hours of storage) minimizes the water requirement to just 1,300 acre-feet. (By contrast, another proposed pumped storage plant in California would require nearly 20,000 acre-feet of groundwater.) Evaporation loss is expected to be minimal through covering one or both reservoirs.
Project developer Gridflex Energy says the FERC determination is just one more advantage to the Bison Peak project, citing as well its location next to thousands of megawatts of current and planned wind and solar facilities in the Tehachapi renewable energy zone, ideal topography, low cost compared to other proposals, and ideal size for the market.
Another possible source of fill water for the project would be the nearby Los Angeles Aqueduct. Based on previous FERC determinations, drawing fill water from this source should allow the project to remain outside of the mandatory FERC umbrella. However, use of this source would require the cooperation of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), which is also considering new pumped storage options.
Gridflex considers LADWP, Southern California Edison, and Pacific Gas & Electric as potential customers for the project, which has a target operational year of 2025 or 2026.
-- Gridflex Energy can be reached at (208) 246-9925 or by email at [email protected] --