Addressing Critical Challenges of Coal Mines for Underground Pumped Storage Hydropower Using Numerical Calculations

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2025

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/3009484· OSTI ID:3009484

Nguyen, Thien D. ^[1]; Rao, Vivek ^[1]; DeNeale, Scott ^[1]; Stewart, Kevin M. ^[1]; Le, Phong ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Using existing coal mines to build underground pumped storage hydropower (UPSH) power plants could help reduce the costs associated with starting a new PSH operation. This innovative approach can leverage the existing infrastructure of coal mine facilities available in many regions of the United States. However, technical challenges associated with water quality, mineral chemistry and integrity of subsurface topologies have thus far prevented any of these facilities from going online. Rye Development is investigating the feasibility of UPSH at existing coal mine facilities. In this project, Rye Development received the technical assistance from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to investigate the impacts of minerals, metal particles, and chemical substances in water flow on hydraulic equipment and assess the overall structural integrity of hydraulic equipment in former coal mines.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Water Power Technologies Office
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 3009484
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM--2025/3747
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

13 HYDRO ENERGY