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593:, and other power plants and is used to pump water from the lower to the upper reservoir. Although this plant uses more power than it generates, it allows these other plants to operate at close to peak efficiency for an overall cost savings. Back Creek and Little Back Creek, the water sources used to create the reservoirs, have a relatively small flow rate. However, since water is pumped between the reservoirs equally, the only water taken from these creeks now that the reservoirs are full is to replace the water lost to evaporation. During operation, the water level fluctuates by over 105 feet (30 m) in the upper reservoir and 60 feet (20 m) feet in the lower reservoir.
47:
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563:. The upper reservoir dam is 460 feet (140 m) high, 2,200 feet (670 m) long and has a structural volume of 18,000,000 cubic yards (14,000,000 m). The upper reservoir on Little Back Creek has a surface area of 265 acres (107 ha) and storage capacity of 35,599 acre-feet (43,911,000 m). The lower reservoir dam on
567:
is 135 feet (41 m) high and 2,400 feet (730 m) in length. It has a structural volume of 4,000,000 cubic yards (3,100,000 m) and creates a reservoir with a surface area of 555 acres (225 ha) and storage capacity of 27,927 acre-feet (34,447,000 m). Connecting the upper
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A fishing habitat was created downstream of the facility. In times of drought water quality can be maintained by using nearby recreational reservoirs to supply extra water to the creeks. The creeks and recreational reservoirs have water quality sufficient for fish.
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When generating power, the water flow can be as much as 13.5 million US gallons (51,000 m) per minute (850 m/s). When storing power, the flow can be as much as 12.7 million US gallons (48,000 m) per minute (800 m/s).
511:
power plant, which is described as the "largest battery in the world", with a maximum generation capacity of 3,003 MW, an average of 2,772 MW, and a total storage capacity of 24,000 MWh. The station is located in the northern corner of
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Water is released from the upper reservoir during periods of high demand and is used to generate electricity. What makes this different from other hydroelectric dams is that during times of low demand, power is taken from
925:
539:
upgraded the six turbines between 2004 and 2009, increasing power generation to 500.5 MW and pumping power to 480 megawatts (640,000 hp) for each turbine. Bath County
Station is jointly owned by
524:. The station consists of two reservoirs separated by about 1,260 feet (380 m) in elevation. It was the largest pumped-storage power station in the world until 2021, when it was surpassed by the
1199:
815:
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Construction on the power station, with an original capacity of 2,100 megawatts (2,800,000 hp), began in March 1977 and was completed in
December 1985 at a cost of $ 1.6 billion,
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reservoir to the power station are three water conduits between 3,100–3,600 feet (940–1,100 m) long. The conduits each lead to a 990 feet (300 m) shaft which bifurcates into two
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572:(for a total of six) before reaching the turbines. Each penstock is 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter and between 900–1,260 feet (270–380 m) in length. Maximum
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1002:(Informational sign outside the gate at the lower reservoir). Bath County, Virginia: Virginia Power.
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789:"The Inside Story Of The World's Biggest 'Battery' And The Future Of Renewable Energy"
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from the top of the water delivery system to the turbines is 1,320 feet (400 m).
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965:"Bath County Pumped Storage Project Tunnel System - Evaluation of Remedial Measures"
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551:, a regional transmission organization in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
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735:"LS Power Completes Acquisition of 1,600 MW Power Northeast Generation Portfolio"
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967:. Madrid, Spain: International Society for Rock Mechanics. IS-1988-051.
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The upper and lower reservoirs are created by earth and rock-filled
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715:
List of largest hydroelectric power stations in the United States
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1200:
Pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations in the United States
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520:, which forms this section of the border between Virginia and
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61:
Location of Bath County Pumped
Storage Station in Virginia
53:
16:
Pumped storage energy generator in
Virginia, United States
963:
Wong, K.L.; R.G.Oechsel; D.T.Wafle (September 16, 1988).
962:
612:
Upper reservoir directly behind the top of the mountain
1159:
816:"Bath County Pumped Storage Station | Dominion Energy"
547:(40%), and managed by Dominion. It stores energy for
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1190:Buildings and structures in Bath County, Virginia
1176:
1000:Bath County Pumped Storage Hydroelctric Station
1038:"Water customers asked to conserve in drought"
249:18,000,000 cu yd (14,000,000 m)
1070:United States Environmental Protection Agency
931:, 21 January 2004. Retrieved: 29 August 2010.
1170:Bath County Pumped Storage Station Home Page
311:4,000,000 cu yd (3,100,000 m)
1096:, 9 April 2002. Retrieved: 29 August 2010.
1006:
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492:Bath County Pumped Storage Station Website
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1026:page 9, 1988. Retrieved: 29 August 2010.
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334:27,927 acre⋅ft (34,447,000 m)
262:35,599 acre⋅ft (43,911,000 m)
1195:Hydroelectric power plants in Virginia
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624:An inlet stream of the lower reservoir
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1127:
1099:
838:
526:Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station
187:($ 4.53 billion in 2023 dollars)
1048:from the original on October 6, 2019
851:"Bath County Pumped Storage Station"
787:Koronowski, Ryan (August 27, 2013).
773:
1036:Bollinger, Mike (August 21, 2008).
889:, Vol. 55, No. 7, July 1985, pg. 55
13:
1107:Virginia Off the Beaten Path, 10th
1072:, 2008. Retrieved: 29 August 2010.
502:Bath County Pumped Storage Station
27:Bath County Pumped Storage Station
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853:. Dominion Energy. Archived from
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636:Lower reservoir dam and spillway
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1210:1985 establishments in Virginia
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756:"Pumped Storage in Bath County"
710:Pumped-storage hydroelectricity
705:List of energy storage projects
516:, on the southeast side of the
1024:Water Resources Research Forum
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733:Simonis, Emily (May 4, 2018).
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1147:. Retrieved: 29 August 2010.
911:. Retrieved: 29 August 2010.
876:"Bath County Pumped Storage"
21:Dam in Bath County, Virginia
7:
1014:Stream Habitat Improvements
1012:Singletary, William C., Jr.
650:
394:; 38 years ago
166:; 38 years ago
148:; 47 years ago
10:
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904:November 20, 2008, at the
518:Eastern Continental Divide
303:2,400 ft (730 m)
241:2,200 ft (670 m)
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1145:Virginia Game & Fish
1087:October 2, 2011, at the
881:October 2, 2011, at the
292:Height (foundation)
233:460 ft (140 m)
230:Height (foundation)
695:Renewable energy portal
454:Overall efficiency
441:Installed capacity
424:1,262 feet (385 m)
342:555 acres (225 ha)
295:135 ft (41 m)
275:Lower dam and spillways
270:265 acres (107 ha)
213:Upper dam and spillways
143:Construction began
1225:Dams completed in 1985
980:Cite journal requires
899:Updating SCADA Systems
887:Civil Engineering—ASCE
820:www.dominionenergy.com
760:www.virginiaplaces.org
179:Construction cost
1019:June 5, 2010, at the
514:Bath County, Virginia
468:11 hours (24,000 MWh)
464:Storage capacity
434:Francis pump-turbines
373:38.20889°N 79.80000°W
281:Type of dam
219:Type of dam
109:38.23056°N 79.81944°W
82:Bath County, Virginia
474:2017 generation
389:Commission date
1042:The Recorder Online
580:Method of operation
549:PJM Interconnection
541:Dominion Generation
378:38.20889; -79.80000
369: /
331:Total capacity
259:Total capacity
196:Dominion Generation
114:38.23056; -79.81944
105: /
1160:Dominion Resources
1133:Mark Fike. Bugas.
942:"Bath County, USA"
857:on January 3, 2012
392:December 1985
164:December 1985
1215:Earth-filled dams
1123:978-0-7627-4881-5
1067:Watershed quality
826:on March 29, 2019
498:
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432:6 × 480/500.5 MW
339:Surface area
267:Surface area
161:Opening date
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1220:Rock-filled dams
1205:Dams in Virginia
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308:Dam volume
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246:Dam volume
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973:cite journal
958:
946:. Retrieved
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859:. Retrieved
855:the original
828:. Retrieved
824:the original
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763:. Retrieved
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738:. Retrieved
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681:Water portal
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18:
1165:FirstEnergy
642:Environment
545:FirstEnergy
376: /
352:Coordinates
208: (16%)
206:FirstEnergy
203: (24%)
198: (60%)
185:1.6 billion
138:Operational
112: /
88:Coordinates
1179:Categories
1052:August 29,
721:References
601:Reservoirs
565:Back Creek
543:(60%) and
364:79°48′00″W
361:38°12′32″N
100:79°49′10″W
97:38°13′50″N
948:April 12,
929:Power Gen
830:March 29,
570:penstocks
317:Spillways
1138:Archived
1085:Archived
1046:Archived
1017:Archived
902:Archived
879:Archived
651:See also
201:LS Power
192:Owner(s)
78:Location
909:ModComp
861:July 9,
740:May 21,
591:nuclear
537:Siemens
487:Website
399:1985-12
397: (
171:1985-12
169: (
153:1977-03
151: (
125:Purpose
70:Country
1121:
1113:
555:Design
300:Length
238:Length
135:Status
533:Voith
504:is a
478:-935
445:3003
129:Power
1119:ISBN
1111:ISBN
1054:2010
986:help
950:2013
863:2010
832:2019
802:2019
767:2017
742:2024
587:coal
500:The
480:GW·h
408:Type
183:US$
458:79%
1181::
1117:,
1044:.
1040:.
977::
975:}}
971:{{
916:^
885:,
840:^
818:.
791:.
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758:.
589:,
528:.
447:MW
1056:.
988:)
984:(
952:.
865:.
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804:.
769:.
744:.
535:-
401:)
321:1
173:)
155:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.