Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant - Ten Years Operating Experience

Operational experience at the 1 530 MW Raccoon Mountain underground pumped-storage plant can be relevent to other large hydro facilities. A number of unusual features were incorporated and individual unit size was only recently overtaken elsewhere. Direct water cooling of rotor and stator windings has been successfully applied to salient pole machines. A number of problems, including difficulties with oil-filled 161 kV current transformers, and some mechanical aspects, are reported. Designed for remote supervisory control, the plant has required closer attention. Operating statistics are included.