The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has accepted a preliminary permit application for the Elephant Rock Pumped Storage Project (P-15310) from Rye Development LLC.
The preliminary permit application was submitted to FERC on May 5 by Rye Development on behalf of Neptune Pumped Storage 1 LLC.
The project site is near the Sixes River and the city of Port Orford in Curry County, Ore. Rye Development said no dams, spillways, waterways, powerhouses, tailraces or other structures exist at the proposed site. The project will involve the construction of new water storage, water conveyance and generation facilities, as well as primary transmission lines.
The lower reservoir will be located about 4,300 ft south from the proposed upper reservoir, and a zoned rockfill embankment dike will be built to impound a 51.5-acre reservoir. The 51.5-acre upper reservoir also will be formed through construction of a zoned rockfill embankment dike.
Water will be drawn from the upper reservoir through a steel reinforced concrete intake structure, down a 820-ft-long, 24-ft-diameter vertical power shaft connecting to a 4,200-ft-long horizontal power tunnel to the powerhouse. The 318 MW powerhouse, located on the eastern edge of the lower reservoir, will contain four 79.5 MW reversible pump-turbine units.
The purpose of a preliminary permit is to preserve the rights of the permit holder to have the first priority in applying for a license for the project that is being studied. A preliminary permit does not authorize the permittee to access lands and does not authorize the permittee to undertake any land-disturbing activities. Permit conditions are framed to ensure the permittee does not tie up a site without pursuing in good faith a study of the project’s feasibility. If the project is found to be feasible, the permittee can use the data and information gathered to prepare an application for a license.
Rye Development has a pipeline of more than 25 projects in 10 states. The company develops and commercializes run-of-river and pumped storage projects that produce clean, renewable energy.
