The giant pump storage energy generation project on the banks of the Columbia in Klickitat County took a huge step forward in December, when a $3 million grant was awarded by the U.S. government for a next level study. U.S. House member Jaime Herrera Beutler was able to get the grant approved due her powerful and respected position on the House Appropriations Committee and due to the clean energy project’s unique significance to the entire Northwest.
The grant request was submitted through the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce and its executive director, Dana Peck. This project could generate hundreds of direct jobs for the area for a wide range of skills, plus a potential of thousands of longer-term employments from a wide range of energy users who need the critical feature of power reliability and consistency; one example being balancing the power supply of the existing wind projects and hydro-generation in this bistate area. Should solar become a major power generator for industry in the Northwest, it, too, would be inconsistent and need this project’s balance.
A preliminary permit was issued for the project by FERC in March 2018. The U.S. Department of Energy will manage this specific study with assistance from KPUD staff who have been working on it for several years. There are very few geological/physical locations where pump storage projects are feasible; this Goldendale project now has a high priority in the nation. Thank you, Jaime.
