Can Kentucky’s reclaimed mines be converted to hydroelectric facilities?

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Kentucky is moving forward with coal-to-hydropower facilities. The total project cost of a new facility in Bell County, Kentucky, is estimated to be $1.3 billion. As for the project itself, which is named the Lewis Ridge Project, the project was selected to receive an $81 million grant.

However, could such a facility be feasible in Western Kentucky?

Can western Kentucky get a hydroelectric facility like this in the future?

The short answer is “No.” Officials say the main reason is there is not enough elevation between the entrance and exit for a water source. There are hopes that the work that will go into the Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage Project will make something like this possible for more sites. It’s more likely that western Kentucky’s reclaimed mine sites could be used for other energy economic development projects.

Is there more to it than just “no”?

Officials with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) say the Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage Project is a specific type of hydroelectric project that requires a very stringent set of siting criteria. While Kentucky’s largest source of renewable electricity is hydroelectric power, those power production facilities are traditional and new low-impact hydroelectric operations along rivers and dams in Kentucky.

The EEC says closed-loop hydroelectric pumped storage is classified as a long-duration energy storage project. One of the key siting characteristics of a pumped storage facility is having an elevation difference between where the water enters and exits the system. This is known as “head.” The National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows these characteristics in the closed-loop pumped storage hydropower supply curves .

Officials say new pumped storage technology in development is centered on lower head space requirements to potentially open up more sites for development.

EEC says for Kentucky, the elevation change on reclaimed mine sites can be challenging in terms of siting a pumped storage facility. For reclaimed mine sites in western Kentucky, those typically don’t meet the siting characteristics around head space. In addition, the geotechnical issues with reclaimed lands can prove challenging, which is why the Lewis Ridge Project will be impactful in helping Kentucky understand these challenges and how to engineer to mitigate them in the future.

A spokesperson for EEC says, “While not many reclaimed mine sites will be viable for pumped hydroelectric operations, most of these sites could house other energy economic development projects like solar, battery storage, potentially geothermal, or even other new energy storage technologies.”

How do companies make this happen?

Officials with Rye Development say their company is leading the Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage Project.

Officials say eastern Kentucky has all the criteria needed for a successful closed-loop pumped storage hydropower facility. This includes topography and elevation, access to transmission lines, water availability, a strong workforce and community support. The Bell County site meets all the listed criteria, plus, as former mine lands, the site has existing roads. Officials with Rye Development say the company is continually looking at potential sites for pumped storage hydropower. Officials say this energy storage project will result in decades of positive economic benefits for eastern Kentucky.

Rye Development officials say they are in the very early stages of development. Before the company can begin construction, the project must obtain a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The grant from the U.S. Department of Energy through the Bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act will help Rye Development accelerate the completion of studies and engineering needed to submit its license application to FERC. Officials anticipate starting construction in 2027 and completing construction in 2030.

A company spokesperson says, “We’re grateful for the opportunity to lead this project into development with support from our regional partners and the U.S. Department of Energy. The project will help showcase the important role former mining lands have in strengthening our national electricity grid while building resilience in communities that have powered the nation for generations.”

People can stay up-to-date about the Bell County, Kentucky, project here .

What kind of elevation changes do we have here?

According to documents found here , the project proposal included a 5,700-foot-long, 77-foot-high zoned rockfill embankment ring dike and a 1,400-foot-long, 100-foot-high zoned rockfill dam with a 5,900-foot-long, 10-foot-high zoned rockfill embankment ring dike surrounding a 23-acre lower reservoir.

A topographical map reveals the area intended for the hydropower facility has an elevation that varies between 1,371 and 1,732 feet, with the river sitting at 1,081 feet. There are also separate bodies of water that sit around 1,224 feet and 1,210 feet. Meanwhile, western Kentucky has an elevation way below 1,300 feet, with our highest elevation sitting anywhere from 550 to 715 feet. The Ohio River sits between 350 and 384 feet.

Basically, western Kentucky is too flat for this, compared to the mountainous terrain of eastern Kentucky.

The EEC says that to ensure the economic viability of pumped storage projects, it’s crucial to find the right geographic location. Officials offer some considerations related to optimal elevations for such projects:

• Elevation Difference
  • Pumped storage projects require a significant elevation difference between the upper and lower reservoirs. This difference should be achieved over a short distance.
    • A common rule of thumb is that the water conduits, such as tunnels or pipes, should not be longer than 10 times the elevation difference.
• Energy Density
  • Pumped storage systems have a relatively low energy density. Therefore, they need either large flows or substantial differences in height between the reservoirs.
    • The goal is to have a large body of water located relatively near, but as high as possible above, a second body of water.
• Innovative Approaches
  • Some innovative approaches, like using pressure in underground wells, can be installed in flat areas, eliminating the typical geographical challenges of finding high and low elevations in close proximity.

The EEC notes that it is important to remember that the specific requirements may vary based on the project’s scale, technology and local conditions. Officials say finding the right balance between elevation, distance and efficiency is essential for successful pumped storage hydropower projects.

Could this happen in either Indiana or Illinois?

While some officials say the legislation is there, topographical maps of Illinois and Indiana show that it is unlikely to happen, as the two states as a whole don’t have the same elevation that eastern Kentucky does.

The Indiana Office of Energy Development (OED) referred to Senate Enrolled Act 147 . This was passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed by Governor Holcomb in 2022.

Indiana officials say essentially, the act adds underground pumped storage hydropower using: 1) abandoned coal mines; (2) abandoned quarries; or (3) other suitable sites; located in Indiana to the list of sources and technologies that qualify as clean energy resources under the statute.

To date, OED says it is unaware of any active or under construction underground pumped storage hydropower facilities in Indiana.

We did not hear back from Illinois.

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