PSH assessment and site identification

Summary

This report assesses the feasibility of Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) on the Chemehuevi Reservation, United States, to support a planned 6 km2 solar farm. It identifies potential sites based on hydraulic head (preferring at least 60 meters) and length-to-head (L:H) ratio (ideal between 4-8, not feasible above 16). The analysis shows that planned reservoirs are unsuitable, but new open-loop systems connecting to Lake Havasu could yield 121 to 528 MW at ten hours of storage with 50-100 meter dam heights, with one 70-meter dam yielding 215 MW. Smaller closed-loop systems of 28 MW, 51 MW, and 90 MW are also proposed, but most viable sites, except for one 6 MW system, are located within a nature preserve, making project feasibility dependent on land-use decisions.

Key Facts

Source Document

https://example-government.gov/policy-document-link