Electricity emergencies in the US this summer, caused by burgeoning peak power demand, has stimulated an interest in pumped storage plants. Enron Corporation is already considering a project 724km southwest of Los Angeles.
The Elsinore Valley Munic- ipal Water District has started discussions with Enron to investigate the possibility of building a 240MW pumped storage project with a head of about 457m. The project is expected to cost more than US$350M. (See article on pp18-21 of this issue about pumped storage’s role in the grid).