High Level Assessment of Modular Pumped Hydro at the San Juan Coal Mine and Generating Station in Farmington, New Mexico
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- New Mexico Energy, Santa Fe, NM (United States). Minerals and Natural Resources Department
This high level assessment was written from notes taken during San Juan Coal Mine and Generating Station Trip on May 17, 2019 by the authors. The objective was to tour facilities at the mine and power plant to assess potential for Modular Pumped Hydro (MPH) Applications. MPH is a scaled-down closed-loop cycle version of conventional pumped hydro, with two reservoirs (either manmade or natural) located at different elevations, connected by appropriate pressurized water conveyance path (i.e. penstock), reversible pump/turbine, and transformers. With MPH, both reservoirs are intended to be covered and lined to manage water losses, and water is reused over-and-over again. Depending upon location though, the lower reservoir may be a river, in which case the water would not be reused. The scaled-down version allows direct integration into communities where closed-loop cycles or conventional pumped hydro would never be applicable. In this case, scale enables design. MPH was selected for review because of the technology’s superior performance, longevity, minimum cost to operate & maintain, potential to interface with existing or new water systems, and complementary solar siting option.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Contributing Organization:
- LANL Community Service
- DOE Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001
- OSTI ID:
- 1583140
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-20-20209
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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