RAWLINS, WY — Stantec has been selected by rPlus Hydro to conduct a detailed feasibility study for the Seminoe Pumped Storage Project, located on Seminoe Reservoir approximately 30 miles outside Rawlins, Wyoming. The proposed ~900 megawatt (MW) project will help to address energy storage needs in the Western United States as more renewable energy is integrated onto the grid.

“Seminoe Pumped Storage will be the ideal ‘battery’ for Wyoming wind energy, and it will allow more efficient use of new transmission delivering that wind to market,” said Matthew Shapiro, CEO of rPlus Hydro. “It also represents a major investment in Carbon County, diversifying the region’s economic base.”

Stantec will identify and analyze the alternative intake and outlet structure types and identify the location and type of upper reservoir to complete the pumped storage scheme above Seminoe Reservoir. Additionally, the firm will plan and perform a geotechnical investigation that will support the feasibility design of the underground facilities, identify pump-generating equipment, identify routing for a transmission line that will lead to nearby grid interconnection, evaluate project constructability, and provide an opinion on probable construction cost.

“We need large-scale proven solutions like hydro pumped storage to address the energy storage needs in the United States,” said Mario Finis, Executive Vice President for Stantec’s Energy & Resources business. “Stantec is privileged to partner with rPlus Hydro in studying the feasibility of this project, which will play a critical role in increasing grid reliability and increased generation from clean renewable energy sources.”

Governments around the world are turning to solar and wind power to help meet renewable energy targets, but grid operators face challenges when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. Energy storage helps to quickly bring large amounts of power online to fill the gaps. In hydroelectric projects, pumped storage adds the capability to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir in periods where there is excess electricity on the grid or when energy prices are low. The water can then be released back through the reversible turbines as needed to meet energy demand, working like a large-scale battery.rPlus Hydro develops pumped storage hydropower projects to support states, utilities, and major industries in meeting the demands of the modern energy transition, working to expand pumped storage hydropower’s contribution to grid resiliency and reliability across the United States. Currently, rPlus Hydro is developing several large-scale pumped storage hydropower projects around the U.S. The portfolio represents a combined capacity of more than five gigawatts (GW). With up to 10 hours of full-capacity storage, these plants will be able to provide power during peak load periods across multiple days — far longer than batteries.