One of Exelon Generation’s original pumped storage sites – where water is pumped uphill when electricity is cheap and released downhill to generate and sell high-priced electricity – is inspiring a new wave of pumped storage projects now that wind and solar energy farms have grown in popularity.

The Kennett Square energy producer has, since 1966, taken advantage of pumped storage along the Susquehanna River in neighboring Lancaster County through its Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility, which is capable of generating 1,070 megawatts of electricity, according to a FutureStructure report by Andrew Maykuth.

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“Pumped storage is one of the backbones for integrating all this new generation,” said National Hydropower Association Deputy Executive Director Jeff Leahey.

And pumped storage, not batteries, makes up a vast 97 percent of all utility-scale power storage.

Read more about the new generation of proposed pumped storage facilities, particularly the 21 projects applied for by Merchant Hydro Developers, on FutureStructure here, and check out previous VISTA Today coverage of Exelon here.

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