Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project

Large-scale electricity storage will be a critical part of a clean energy future. But long before engineers sought to store power from intermittent energy sources such as wind or solar, NYPA was already a leader in energy storage. The Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project, about 60 miles from Albany, uses hydroelectric technology and two large reservoirs at different altitudes to generate up to 1,160,000 kilowatts of electricity. The plant uses power to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir. Then it generates power as the water descends through the project’s turbine-generators to create electricity, making it like a giant rechargeable battery.  The facility provides power to the grid at moments of peak demand and then recharges, restoring itself to readiness when demand and power prices are low.