PUB00037

• Year: 1988
• Title: Colorado Joint Planning Study Economic Potential of Pumped Storage
• CWCB Section: Interstate & Federal
• Author: Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority
• Description: Assessment of whether pumped storage facilities are economically attractive to Colorado utilities
• Publications - Doc Type: Water Resource Studies

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Overview

This report presents the findings of a joint planning effort to assess the economic
potential of pumped storage hydroelectric plants in Colorado. The study was initiated
by the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority (Authority) to
assess the viability of the pumped storage components of their water devEllopment
projects. It was conducted with the technical and financial assistance of seven of the
major electrical power suppliers and water marketing agencies in the state. The
participants in the study included:

Centel Electric-Colorado
City of Colorado Springs
Platte River Power Authority
Public Service Company of Colorado
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Western Area Power Administration

Published data on Colorado Ute Electric Association (CUEA) were also incorporated
into the study. Together, the utility participants in this joint planning effort contributed
about 80 percent of the study costs and assisted the Authority in directing the study
through representation on a Technical Steering Committee (TSC). The TSC met
periodically to review work plans, identify data sources, select methodology, and
review interim results. This study was conducted with a statewide perspective and, as
a result, should not be considered a replacement to any of the utilities' individual
resource planning efforts.

This study, as technical and specialized as it is, requires the use of precise terms.
Readers unfamiliar with the terminology of the electric power industry and pumped
storage projects may wish to make use of the glossary at the end of the report.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether potential pumped storage facilities
may be economically attractive compared to other types of electric power generation.
The potential savings that might accrue from the inclusion of future pumped storage
generation capacity was determined and, more specifically, the study quantified:

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