DOE finalizes $81M award for Lewis Ridge pumped storage project

Lewis Ridge
(photo courtesy Rye Development)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations has awarded Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage, a subsidiary of Rye Development Acquisition, $12 million (of a total project federal cost share of up to $81 million) to support the Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage project.

Upon completion, Lewis Ridge will be among the first pumped storage hydropower facilities constructed in the United States in more than 30 years and the first sited on former coal mine land.

Lewis Ridge will provide up to 287 MW of capacity and eight hours of storage, and the facility utilizes two man-made reservoirs. The project in Bell County, Kentucky is expected to create 1,500 construction jobs over a multiyear period and generate additional revenues for local businesses and government.

Rye Development Acquisition, LLC is a partnership of Climate Adaptive Infrastructure and EDF Inc.

In the United States, pumped storage hydropower represents 96% of utility-scale energy storage capacity. Pumped storage hydropower facilities typically operate for decades and are the most climate-friendly energy storage technology, according to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory study released in 2023.

“We are pleased to partner with the Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the local community to repurpose former coal mine land into a critical new energy storage facility, utilizing long-proven technology. We have identified additional coal mine sites in the U.S. that are suitable for pumped storage hydropower, where insights gained from the Lewis Ridge facility can support future projects,” said Paul Jacob, CEO of Rye Development Acquisition, LLC.

In March, Hydro Review reported that the Lewis Ridge project was included in a DOE announcement of up to $475 million for five projects to accelerate clean energy deployment on current and former mine land. Developing clean energy projects on mine land provides an attractive economic alternative to using undisturbed natural and agricultural land. Mine land is often located near critical infrastructure that makes it suitable for clean energy development, including electric substations, transmission lines, and access to roads or railroad lines.

The Lewis Ridge project plans to interconnect with local transmission, improving grid reliability. As part of its community benefits commitments, the project anticipates creating about 1,500 construction jobs and 30 operations gigs, adding millions of dollars in tax revenue to the community over the project’s projected 100-year lifetime. In addition, Lewis Ridge plans to support workforce development opportunities through partnerships with unions and the Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College and by providing a Registered Apprenticeship Program and other subsidized workforce training activities.

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