East Creek flows into the Gunnison River and West Creek flows into the Dolores River, making it a marvel that has intrigued scientists for many decades. Am I spending every waking moment worrying about it? 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. 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. Platte River Power Authority (19) Feds Urged to Deny Third Arizona Pumped-storage Project Threatening The Colorado Public Utilities Commission in June rejected a request by Xcel Energy to use $15 million in ratepayer money to study the proposal in Unaweep Canyon. (Colorado Sun) OIL & GAS: There must be rights of way to allow for many miles of 120-foot transmission towers. There are no minimum flow requirements in the current license for upper reservoir dam flow releases to Cabin Creek. Craig (8) 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.. 2023 Clarion Events North America. All rights reserved. As a leader in the field of energy storage applications with pumped storage technology, GE has an installed base of 22 GW for turbines and 38 GW for generators for pumped hydro storage plants. The Cabin Creek Project is operated in a load-following mode that shapes available water to deliver power during peak-load hours with a total plant capability of 336 megawatts (MW) from its two turbines. It was installed in 1967. There has to be available water rights. So the search is on for ways to build large-scale storage projects to hold the energy wind and solar generate. Gish hopes to have a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2026. The proposal also puts his neighbors' homes and Colorado 141 underwater. They are not efficient. The peregrines nest up on the cliffs. If Xcel files for a license through FERC, thats another two to three years and would include environmental review with the Bureau of Land Management. Water leaves the reservoir at two intakes on the southern side, traveling through two underground penstocks 15 feet in diameter, 3,000 feet down to the power plant. It is easy to fly into from most locations in the U.S. and Canada and even offers direct flights to many international destinations. More by Jason Blevins, Got a story tip? natural gas (22) 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). Proximity to water sources matters, and so does the location relative to transmission. A steel-lined penstock with a diameter of 22 feet would run 4,900 feet between the two reservoirs. National Hydropower Map Conventional Hydropower and Pumped Storage projects generate about about 7% of the electricity used in the United States. The "closed-loop" project is located off-stream, which means the project will not . The company needs a location that does not impact an active water source. After a brief introduction to the project proposal, he addressed 23 questions submitted by neighbors and then volleys of occasionally passionate pleas. When the two reservoirs are not connected to any other water source, its called a closed loop system. Every winter the elk gather in the meadow below the granite cliffs. Mount Elbert Pumped Storage Plant, Colorado - clui.org 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. . It appeared that the project's lower reservoir would leave a Hopi sacred site underwater. But VanWinkle sees this as yet another trampling of the Western Slope by Front Range interests. After collecting comments and perspective from the utility, the federal commission will issue its final decision on the early permit. They are being rapidly added to supplement wind and solar in Colorado. Amy Lambert, Ashcrafts girlfriend, said they felt held hostage by Xcels plan. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Other goals of the settlement include maintaining and increasing vegetation near the river, restoring riparian habitats, protecting endangered species, and constructing campsites. The plan hasnt set well with residents, especially those whose homes are underwater in Xcels early sketches of the project. A (Potentially) Bright Future for Pumped Storage in the U.S. - Hydro Review This is far from the only bite of the apple you are going to get, said McCloud, who hoped to keep tempers dampened this early in the process. The Water Desk launched in April 2019 with support from the Walton Family Foundation. Xcel Energy ends plan for Unaweep Canyon pumped storage hydro 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.. Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (12) Jared Polis (8) Renewable energy folks call pumped storage facilities a battery because they deliver energy when needed in the evening when solar and wind generators fade. We all knew this day was coming, Dean Rickman, a Unaweep resident, said in an email to canyon residents early Tuesday. Still another idea is said to be in formulation in southwestern Colorado, but no details could be gleaned about that project. An initiative of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. The utility can now begin vetting a more formal proposal, which could include the company paying landowners who lose their property to the reservoirs, dams, pipelines and transmission lines. Unaweep translates from Ute as parting waters or canyon with two mouths. It is a geologic marvel, heralded as the only canyon on the planet with two exits. The meeting grew heated when residents described the shadow the project had placed over their properties. We cant sell it. WEco is funded by multiple donors. What would the fencing look like? One option is to place solar panels over the reservoirs, producing energy while shading the water. Plan for Yampa River pumped-hydro storage filed with federal agency The FERC decision on Tuesday accepts Xcels application for a preliminary permit and opens the process to public comment. But once built and operating, the maintenance costs are very, very low, and the system will last, if properly maintained, a century or longer. 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. There are bigger factors here than not in my backyard. The geologic uniqueness of this place needs to be considered. Sign up for Fresh Water News to get up-to-the-minute stories delivered to your inbox. We want to emphasize that we are still in the very early stages of evaluating this project and therefore cant speculate on the cost of the project or other variables, Aguayo said. In the Craig-Hayden area, Matthew Shapiro, chief executive of rPlus Hydro, had been examining sites that are on private land. It also has secured 12 easements for pipeline access from the lower reservoir to the Arkansas River. 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.. We maintain a strict editorial firewall between our funders and our journalism. So the search is on for ways to build large-scale storage projects to hold the energy wind and solar generate. 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. More than 300 pumped storage facilities operate around the globe (including about 40 in the U.S.), making it the most widely used large-scale energy storage method on the planet. Is there something youd like to add or correct? The Cabin Creek Project occupies about 326 acres of lands in the Arapaho National Forest managed by the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service). Colorado (HQ) 5490 Tenino Ave. Boulder, C0 80303. The soils and geology have to work. Its an integral part of our ranching operations. McCloud brought Xcel executives from company headquarters in Minneapolis and Denver to the meeting. The Colorado Sun jason@coloradosun.com 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. Meet us in Charlotte, N.C., for HYDROVISION International 2023, First phase inaugurated of hybrid solar and hydropower development in China, EDF Group opens floating solar power plant on Lazer hydropower plant reservoir, Eco Wave Power signs deal to deliver wave energy to Taiwan. Marshall Fire (9) It will be a challenge for them, McInnis said, but theyve got muscle and theyve got money.. The walls of his house are thick and energy efficient. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun), How gun violence in Colorado hit a 40-year high, 711 kilowatt hours of electricity a month, unanimously approved House Bill 1052, legislation, the latest hydropower report from Department of Energy, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission awarded a preliminary permit, energy company wants to develop a closed-loop project, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Thats what I see as the biggest issue around all this, she said. 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. Colorado Springs Utilities (9) I have found that the local stakeholders are the first people you need to talk to about a project like this, Gish says. There cant be too much or too little space between the impoundments. Drop us a note at tips@coloradosun.com. Solar and wind power are highly variable and cannot be turned off and on, like coal and natural gas plants are. So the Xcel project could cost around $1.6 billion. Xcel has promised to close its coal-burning Comanche 3 power plant the largest remaining coal-fired plant in the West and by far the largest polluter in the state by 2035. Still another idea is said to be in formulation in southwestern Colorado, but no details could be gleaned about that project. Pumped Storage Hydropower | Department of Energy Pumped storage can play a major role as the country addresses its rapidly growing needs for storage capacity and carbon-free power. The IRAs investment tax credit is a first for pumped-storage, says Shapiro. (It is: Reclusive conservationist and billionaire financier Louis Bacon in 2013 beat back state approval of a transmission line to move Xcel Energy and Tri-State Generation solar power across his sprawling Trinchera Ranch in the San Luis Valley. He wonders why it needs to be so big. This facility - essentially a giant battery for energy storage - would require two reservoirs. PDF Pumped Storage Hydropower: A Technical Review - Semantic Scholar And squeezing harder is not getting those answers, she said. It doesnt have detailed processes for how it will address landowner issues for a project that will likely use eminent domain to acquire land and rights of way. Water is released from a higher reservoir to generate power when electricity is most in demand and expensive. Black Hills Energy (18) In November 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission awarded a preliminary permit to Idaho-based Gridflex Energy to begin planning a pumped-storage hydro project in Moffat County between Craig and Hayden. Colorado Renewable Energy Society (12) Xcel Gives Up Plan to Expand Hydropower in Colorado Xcel Energy wants to build a pumped-storage hydropower project in the canyon. climate change (55) Will Toor, the head of the Colorado Energy Office, said the state sees pumped hydro storage as a useful technology but one that is limited due to Colorados topography and tight federal-private land ownership. All those years would involve more public meetings and chances for residents to voice concerns. Pumped-storage hydro in Colorado - Big Pivots Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. Am I concerned? When not in a pumping mode, it can be brought on-line within 10 minutes when needed for system generation and stability. Email: jason@coloradosun.com Twitter: @jasonblevins 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. . 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. We hope to destroy no homes, McCloud said. Penrose is about 30 miles from both Colorado Springs and Pueblo and major transmission lines. Shapiro hopes to also use Colorado-sourced water to generate electricity in a pumped-storage project on the North Platte River in Wyoming. Pumped storage units utilize less expensive energy produced at low demand and then dispatch the stored energy during peak demand. Utilities are scrambling to get renewable energy projects online to meet those goals. Ortus Colorado is developing a next generation, low-impact pumped storage hydropower project on private land in Fremont County, CO. But its too early to freak out, VanWinkle said. The Ute translation of Unaweep is parting waters or canyon with two mouths. The canyon has streams that flow both east to the Gunnison River and west to the Dolores River. 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. Xcel Energy is seeking a preliminary permit to study the possibility of a pumped-storage hydropower project on this site in the Unaweep Canyon. 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. 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. Of them, 24 with a combined capacity of about 16.5 gigawatts are in operation. 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. He and the executives used the words conceptual and preliminary dozens of times. Lithium-ion batteries are part of the answer and are being rapidly added to supplement wind and solar. If you are able to get local support, the rest of the pieces will tend to fall into place. On March 22, 2013, Public Service filed a settlement agreement signed by Public Service and the Forest Service. On a vastly smaller scale, that has been done at the Walden municipal water treatment plant in north-central Colorado. Xcel plans pumped hydro storage project in Colorado's Unaweep Canyon. Completed in 1967 and operated by Xcel Energy, it serves as That includes Cabin Creek, Xcel Energys 324-megawatt pumped storage unit near Georgetown. Colorado will need far more energy storage than exists now if it is to attain its mid-century goals of 100% renewable energy. Two pumped water storage projects move forward in Colorado The project is a big part of Xcels mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030 and be 100% carbon-free by 2050. Two pumped #water storage projects move forward in #Colorado It was installed in 1967. Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (10) But once built and operating, the maintenance costs are very, very low, and the system will last, if properly maintained, a century or longer. Colorado (12) electrical cooperatives (14) The Xcel proposal says the maps included in its proposal which include the lower reservoir on top of Colorado 141 near Unaweep Divide provide only a general indication of a possible development and studies under the preliminary permit would lead to refined layouts. Xcels maps also place the lower reservoir on several homes near Unaweep Divide. This technology even today is responsible for 93% of energy storage in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Important universities in the state are Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines. Colorado River (29) Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. The company has exclusive purchase options for 4,900 acres. Pumped-storage hydro projects cost about $2,000 per kilowatt to build, according to the National Hydropower Association. The bonus for other users is that the water 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. There wasnt any shouting or name calling. 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. Committed to providing communities with clean, reliable electricity and affordable grid-scale energy storage. Western Resource Advocates (18)