Map of the proposed Haiwee Pumped Storage Project.
Premium Energy Holdings has filed applications with FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) for two pumped storage projects: Haiwee and Owens Valley. Pumped storage uses reservoirs to create giant "batteries" for renewable energy. There is an upper and a lower reservoir with a penstock or pressure tunnel connecting them. Water is pumped uphill from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir when electricity is available and cheaper. Then, at peak hours or at night when other renewable energy sources are offline, the water is released to generate electricity. The water flows through a power plant back into a lower reservoir. The electricity can be sold at higher or peak rates to pay for the project. Pumped storage is a clever way to pursue renewable energy. However, siting pumped storage projects in the Eastern Sierra is difficult.
Most of the mountain ranges in the Eastern Sierra where upper reservoirs need to be are in wilderness. Two of the proposed locations for upper reservoirs for the Haiwee pumped storage project are in the Coso Range Wilderness. The third proposed site is Sage Flat on the way to the Olancha Pass trailhead. When FERC sorts this out, we hope they will ask the proponent to amend their application to remove the sites that are in the wilderness. The lower reservoir would be adjacent to and on the north side of the North Haiwee Reservoir. The application is vague as to whether the penstock would be above or underground. It would cross land designated Mojave ground squirrel habitat under the National Conservation Lands Act.
The Owens Valley project originally proposed upper reservoirs on top of Wheeler Ridge in the John Muir Wilderness. The proponent amended the proposal to place the upper reservoirs in the White Mountains up Gunter and Silver Canyons. FERC denied this application on the grounds that it was three projects in one. Because an application holds a spot while the proponent works through a feasibility study, it would be unfair to claim dibs on multiple spots.
Premium Energy Holdings filed a new application for a single project but changed the location of the upper reservoir to the eastern slope of the White Mountains in Wyman or Birch Creek Canyons. The Birch Creek site would be in a USFS roadless area that was recommended by the public for wilderness status in the recent Inyo NF Plan update process. Wyman Canyon has a power line and a road along it so is already disturbed land. The lower reservoir would be in the Owens River Gorge up stream from the Pleasant Valley Reservoir.
For this project, the water will flow between reservoirs through underground pressure tunnels. The tunnels would go under the Volcanic Tablelands with BLM wilderness study areas and under Fish Slough, an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. FERC will review the application for completeness in the next month. When complete, FERC will issue a preliminary permit and then the proponent may start their feasibility study and prepare an environmental report.
The proponent will still need to obtain permits from the BLM and USFS to collect soil samples, drill core holes, do seismic studies, or build roads to the sites. There are opportunities for public input during the preliminary permit stage, but it is not a NEPA process.
The Range of Light Group and the Toiyabe Chapter are watching this process and will work to protect sensitive and designated landscapes during this process. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us.