Dominion Energy narrows site option for pumped storage plant

19 June 2019


Dominion Energy Virginia has announced it has narrowed its search for a site for a proposed pumped storage project to Tazewell County.

The company said it will spend the remainder of this year and part of next conducting more extensive surveys of an East River Mountain site in Tazewell County. These studies will include the examination of potential water sources in the area, beginning with an investigation of Wolf Creek in Bland County.

“Based on our research thus far, we are encouraged about the potential for the Tazewell site to support a pumped storage facility,” said Dominion Energy’s Mark Mitchell, vice president - Generation Construction.

The company plans to expand its search for a reliable water source to fill and maintain the station’s two reservoirs. A previous investigation focused on a flooded coal mine in Amonate, but the amount of water was determined to be inadequate.

The company has also stated that it will not pursue a similar, but smaller project it had been studying at an abandoned coal mine site in Wise County. The decision not to pursue the former Bullitt Mine, located near the town of Appalachia, was based on analysis of the site by the Virginia Center for Coal & Energy Research. The review indicated that the Bullitt Mine is not suitable for a utility-scale pumped storage project.

 



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