rPlus Hydro has proposed plans to build the 900MW Seminoe pumped storage project in the US state of Wyoming with an investment of around $2.5bn.
In this connection, the Utah-based limited liability limited partnership submitted a draft license application for the project to be located near Rawlins in Carbon County.
The Seminoe pumped storage project will feature a new reservoir, underground tunnels, an underground powerhouse, an intake-outlet structure in Seminoe reservoir, and a new electric transmission line.
rPlus Hydro, which is a subsidiary of rPlus Energies, has filed the application through the project-specific company Black Canyon Hydro.
According to rPlus Energies, the submission of the application to Wyoming and federal agencies is part of a multi-year study and approval process. These include in-depth engineering designs, environmental assessments, as well as community engagement.
rPlus Hydro president Luigi Resta said: “rPlus Hydro is thrilled to take this next step in advancing the Seminoe Pumped Storage project in Wyoming, a state that is a rich source of energy production – especially in wind generation. We are proud to be developing a project that will enable Wyoming to benefit from these emerging resources.
“This project also represents a significant economic opportunity to the local economy through increased jobs and tax revenues, in addition to enhancing and strengthening Wyoming’s energy infrastructure.”
To be built along the North Platter River, the Seminoe pumped storage project is expected to generate up to 500 construction roles over a period of 3-5 years. After its commissioning, the project will employ an estimated 35 full-time jobs.
The project’s draft license application contains an overview of the configuration and design of the proposed project, baseline studies and data, projected costs, intended construction schedules, preliminary environmental analysis, and maps.
rPlus Energies said that the submission begins a 90-day agency review process that will refine the proposal ahead of the submission of the final license application to the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
The final license application will have a collection of additional baseline data, impact analyses along with opportunities for public feedback.
rPlus Hydro CEO Matthew Shapiro said: “Pumped storage hydro has been relied upon for decades as a tool for energy storage and grid reliability.
“As Wyoming creates and utilises more renewable energy generation, like wind energy, energy storage projects like Seminoe will play a key role in making that energy available to everyone long into the future.”
