RED LAKE PUMPED STORAGE HYDRO

---

 AFTERBAY RESERVOIR 

• Disturbed Area: 395-acres

• Upper-Level Liquid Area: 7,976,947-ft2 (183-acres)

• Bottom-Level Liquid Area: 5,019,662-ft2 (115-acres)

• Liquid Depth: 136-ft, Freeboard: 7.0-ft (Above Upper Liquid Level)

• Average (50% of Volume) Liquid Depth: 80-ft

• Liquid Storage: 23,000 acre-ft

• Dam Type: Rockfill (Balanced Cut & Fill),Spillway: To Be Determined

• Annual Evaporation: 323 acre-feet with covers

• Rain/Snow Catchment Area: 3,100-acres, Annual Moisture: 1,500 acre-feet 

 FOREBAY RESERVOIR 

• Disturbed Area: 327-acres

• Top-Level Liquid Area: 12,513,122-ft2 (287-acres)

• Bottom-Level Liquid Area: 2,574,835-ft2 (59-acres)

• Average (50% of Volume) Liquid Depth: 75-ft

• Liquid Depth: 126-ft, Freeboard: 7.0-ft (Above Upper Liquid Level)

• Liquid Storage: 23,000 acre-ft

• Dam Type: Rockfill (Balanced Cut & Fill), Spillway: To Be Determined

• Annual Evaporation: 988 acre-feet

• Rain/Snow Catchment Area: 1,000-acres, Annual Moisture: 500 acre-feet 

 RESERVOIR HEAD DATA 

•  Average Static Head: 2,274-feet

•  Maximum Falling Head: 2,413-feet

•  Minimum Falling head: 2,137-feet

 POWERHOUSE, FLOWS and EQUIPMENT 

• Conventional Francis Turbines with single speed pumps with synchronized Motor/Generators

• No. Powerhouses: 3

• Total No. Turbine/Pump Units: 12 (6-Units per Powerhouse)

• Water Flow per Turbine/Pump Unit: 537,200-gpm, All Turbines: 6,446,300-gpm

• Maximum Power Output: 3-GW

• Maximum Duration (Based on Reservoir): 12-hrs

• Annual Power Generation: 12-hr. Periods: 13,140-GWh, 8-hr. Periods: 8,760-GWh

• Pump Cycle EEiciency: 87.6%

• Turbine Cycle EEiciency: 88.8%

• Round Trip EEiciency (RTE) with losses and Leakage: 77.4%

• Motor/Generator Units: 300-MW

 UNDERGROUND EXCAVATIONS 

• Access Tunnel Network: 25,800-ft

• Tailrace Discharge Branches: 24,422-ft

• Powerhouse Tailraces, Penstocks, Accesses: 6,578-ft

• Intake Shafts: 2 x 2,535’

• Discharge Shafts: 2 x 135’

• Secondary Ventilation/Access Shaft: 2,100-ft.   

 ELECTRICAL and TRANSMISSION 

• Generator output underground 23kV, increased to 500kv at an underground substation

• Site surface substation will reduce to a two 500kV OH lines

• Each line extending from site to connecting sub station is 6.2-miles in length

• Transmission Line connecting substation will reduce to a 500kV OH line and a 345kV OH 

   lines.

• 2,250MW will be delivered via the 500kV OH line, 750MW via the 345kV OH line

• Both high voltage lines will deliver to the connection with a VD of less than 2-percent

• Generators Power Factor: 83.2% Lagging

 MISCELLANEOUS 

• Required road upgrade/rehabilitation Forebay: 12-miles

• Required new road construction Forebay: 1.9-miles (plus 4-miles in site roads)

• Required new road construction Afterbay: 3.5-miles (plus 3-miles in site roads)

• Water well development: Red Lake, 6.7-mile pipeline to site

• Project located on: BLM land, project area 5,373-acres (1/8 section rule, includes roads) 

• Makeup water pumping requirements is 1,400-gpm for 20-hrs/day

FERC Preliminary Permit Awarded on Oct 15 2024