The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Aug. 4 issued a notice about a July 26 application from Shell Energy North America (US) LP for a preliminary permit under which the company would take up to three years to study the feasibility of the Hydro Battery Pearl Hill Project, to be located on the Columbia River and Rufus Woods Lake near Bridgeport, Douglas County, Washington.
The sole purpose of a preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant the permit holder priority to file a license application during the permit term.
The proposed pumped storage project would consist of:
- a 215-foot-diameter, 40-foot-high corrugated steel tank (upper reservoir) having a total storage capacity of 29 acre-feet and a usable capacity of 26.7 acre-feet;
- a 6,025-foot-long, 36-inch-diameter steel and high density polyethylene penstock extending between the upper reservoir and the pump/turbines below;
- a 400-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep polyurea membrane stretched over a framed plastic structure (lower reservoir) having a total storage capacity of 29 acre-feet and a usable capacity of 26.7 acre-feet;
- an 80-foot-long, 50-foot-wide pontoon barge floating on Rufus Woods Lake containing two Pelton turbine-motor/generator units rated for 2.5 MW each at 1,310 feet of net head, up to eight pumps and a substation; and
- an overhead 2,500-foot-long, 24.9-kilovolt transmission line extending from the project substation to an existing distribution line owned by Douglas County Public Utility District (the point of interconnection).
The estimated annual generation of the Pearl Hill Project would be 10.9 gigawatt-hours.
The applicant contact is: Brian Johansen, Vice President Power Trading West, Shell Energy North America (US) LP, 601 W. 1st Ave., Suite 1700, Spokane, Washington 99201, phone: (509) 688-6000.
The deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file competing applications is 60 days from the issuance of this Aug. 4 notice.
