Potential for conventional and underground pumped-storage

Future energy and power needs of the United should be supplied as economically as possible and also when the customer desires. Nuclear base sources plus hydroelectric pumped-storage for peaking provide two excellent means for attaining both purposes. Numerous sites and the necessary technology are available for pumped-storage development at cost between $240 and $320 per kilowatt. The low operating cost of pumped-storage provides a significant cost credit in comparative evaluations with other peaking plants. Pumped-storage use in the United States has been impeded by legal and other obstacles, but pumped-storage use should increase in the future. The purpose of this paper is to present a very brief review of the current state of pumped-storage, with a cataloging of its benefits and problems, and a brief summary of future potentialities. Pumped-storage is, of course, a source of power and energy for supplying peak loads. It serves other useful purposes additionally. In supplying such services, it is part of an electric power system that has a larger and more important purpose. These days there is strong evidence that the public is not fully conversant with that purpose. The public´s viewpoint has delayed or prevented construction of several million kilowatts of pumped-storage and realization of its benefits. The potential for pumped-storage is directly related to the public´s viewpoint.