Making the desert bloom with power produced by pumped water storage

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Mech. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6473464

A desert region about 45 mi west of Albuquerque will be the site of a pumped storage plant being designed by Stone and Webster Engineering Corporations Denver Operations Center for Public Service Co. of New Mexico. Groundwater seeping into nearby mines will be pumped into a large reservoir and then channeled through reversible turbines to generate 600 Mw of dependable peaking power. Based on geotechnical studies already under way, Stone and Webster will determine whether the planned four 150 Mw pump-turbine/generator-motor units and other equipment will be placed above or below ground. The upper reservoir will be at an elevation of 7900 ft and the lower at an elevation of 6500 ft. About 10,000 acre-ft of water will be pumped from the mines to fill the reservoir, which will take about 21 mo. Once the initial filling is completed, a small amount of water will be periodically pumped from the mines to make up for leakage and evaporation. For the most part, however, the same water will be continually recycled. The first unit is scheduled to go into operation in 1989.

• OSTI ID: 6473464
• Journal Information: Mech. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Mech. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 101:12; ISSN MEENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250300* -- Energy Storage-- Pumped Hydro-- (-1989)
DESIGN
EVAPORATION
FEDERAL REGION VI
GROUND WATER
HYDRAULIC TURBINES
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LEAKS
MACHINERY
MINES
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
OPERATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEAK LOAD
PEAKING POWER PLANTS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POWER PLANTS
PUMP TURBINES
PUMPED STORAGE POWER PLANTS
RECYCLING
SCHEDULES
SURFACE WATERS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA
WATER
WATER RESERVOIRS