LUCAS, SD —
Stantec, a company focusing on sustainable design and engineering, has been selected by Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) to conduct a feasibility study for the Gregory County Pumped Storage Project located on Lake Francis Case on the Missouri River, near Lucas, South Dakota. The proposed 1,800 megawatt (MW) project will provide increased energy resiliency and grid reliability, while also addressing intermittent power generated by wind and solar, and aligns with the global transition to more sustainable forms of energy generation.
As part of the feasibility study, Stantec will develop the project to five percent design and perform technical and cost evaluations that consider alternative layouts of principal structures, their types, and basic designs to provide a more specific indication of the technical feasibility of the site.
The Next Frontier in Energy Storage
Governments around the world are turning to solar and wind power to help meet aggressive 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.
“Energy storage options like pumped storage are a critical component of a resilient and sustainable energy future,” said Mario Finis, Executive Vice President for Stantec’s Energy & Resources business. “We are privileged to partner again with Missouri River Energy Services, a supplier of reliable cost-effective energy services, in studying the feasibility of this project, which will play a critical role in achieving their long-term renewable energy goals.”
A Leader in the Energy Transition — Locally and Globally
For over a decade, Stantec has worked with MRES as owner’s engineer and designer of record for the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project on the Des Moines River near Pella, Iowa. The 55 MW project at the Red Rock Dam is now producing a portion of the power for 61 MRES communities in four states. The dam was originally built by the
US Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s for flood control and recreation purposes. Adding hydroelectric power to the existing dam will provide electricity to the MRES communities for the next 100 years.
Stantec has developed a global footprint in pumped storage through 57 years of experience working with clients to provide 16,000 MW in pumped storage capacity at new and existing hydroelectric pumped storage plants. In North America, Stantec served as engineer of record for the two most recently built pumped storage projects: the 40 MW Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Plant in California and the 1,035 MW Rocky Mountain Pumped Storage Plant in Georgia. Additionally, Stantec is the engineer of record for the 3,000 MW Bath County Pumped Storage Plant in Virginia, the largest of its kind in the world.
