PROJECT

Project Overview


The Swan Lake Energy Storage Project is a critical piece of infrastructure needed to help Oregon and the Pacific Northwest transition to a 100% emissions-free energy grid.

Oregon set a goal to phase out fossil fuel generation and use 100% clean energy by 2040. To make this transition, we need a seamless way to store excess renewable energy and deploy it when we need it most.

The Swan Lake Energy Storage Project located in Klamath County uses pumped storage technology, a time-tested and environmentally friendly way to store renewable energy at scale. The Swan Lake project will be able to store renewable energy for up to 9.5 hours and then release that energy to power about 125,000 homes in the Pacific Northwest.

How the Swan Lake Project Works

How Pumped Storage Hydropower Works

Clean Energy Storage

According to a recent study, the Pacific Northwest will need up to 10,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2030 as we transition to a 100% renewable energy grid and electrify the transportation sector. The Swan Lake Energy Storage Project uses a renewable resource (water) to help meet this demand.

The system is filled with water once, and then re-uses that water, over and over, to store and deploy nearly 400 MW of clean energy. Once built, it will last for a century or more.

Did you know?
Pumped storage currently accounts for 93% of all utility-scale energy storage in the United States.

Project Timeline

  • Feb. 2020

    CIP Purchases Swan Lake Project

  • 2021

    Developing Project and Receiving Equipment Proposals

  • 2022

    Advance Engineering for Construction

  • 2024

    Begin Construction

  • 2028

    Commercial Operation

A safe, reliable, and environmentally sound way to meet clean energy needs, grow Oregon’s economy, and create thousands of new jobs.