The US Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations has awarded Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage, LLC, a subsidiary of Rye Development Acquisition, LLC, $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.
Rye Development Acquisition, LLC is a partnership of Climate Adaptive Infrastructure and EDF Inc.
Lewis Ridge will provide up to 287 MW of capacity and eight hours of storage, capable of powering approximately 67,000 homes. The facility utilizes two man-made reservoirs, thereby minimizing impact to waterways and wildlife. When energy demand is low, electricity is used to pump water to the upper reservoir. When the grid requires energy at times of peak demand or extreme weather events, water flows downhill to generate electricity.
The project in Bell County, Ky. is expected to create 1,500 construction jobs over a multiyear period and generate additional revenues for local businesses and government.
In the United States, pumped storage hydropower represents 96% of utility-scale energy storage capacity, highlighting its role as a proven and flexible energy storage solution. This type of long-duration energy storage is required to successfully integrate additional intermittent power, such as solar and wind, onto the grid. 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.
