September deadline for San Diego Water Authority’s pumped hydro RFP

Potential developers for a 500MW pumped hydropower energy storage facility at a reservoir in San Diego have until mid-September to respond to a request for proposals (RfP).

Energy-Storage.News reported back in late April that San Diego Water Authority was gauging interest from industry in executing the vast project, which would net revenues that could lower water rates for consumers in California, while assisting in the integration of renewables, particularly solar PV. The project would be jointly owned by the Water Authority and the City of San Diego, which owns the site where the facility would be built.

The project to aid the drought-plagued region would be at the San Vicente Reservoir, with energy storage duration of between 5-8 hours. A new, smaller reservoir would be built uphill from San Vicente, with water pumped up to it during the day and released back down at night or during peak demand periods, providing energy for a cost of next to nothing as the running water runs turbines.

The RFP, which must be responded to by 12 September 2017, requires applicants to give details of their project teams, including their qualifications to undertake such a project. San Diego Water Authority will examine proposals in autumn and winter. Negotiations with a potential full-service team should begin by the end of this year, the Water Authority said. Anyone with questions about the RFP should get them in by 29 August.