Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station

The Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station is a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station currently under construction about 145 km (90 mi) northwest of Chengde in Fengning Manchu Autonomous County of Hebei Province, China. Construction on the power station began in June 2013 and the first generator is expected to be commissioned in 2019, the last in 2021. Project cost is US$1.87 billion. On 1 April 2014 Gezhouba Group was awarded the main contract to build the power station. It will be constructed in two 1,800 MW phases. When complete, it will be the largest pumped-storage power station in the world with an installed capacity of 3,600 MW. The power station will operate by shifting water between an upper and lower reservoir to generate electricity. During periods of low energy demand, such as at night, water will be pumped from Fengning Lower Reservoir up to the upper reservoir. When energy demand is high, the water is released back down to the lower reservoir but the pump turbines that pumped the water up now reverse mode and serve as generators to produce electricity. The process is repeated as necessary and the plant will serve as a peaking power plant.[1][2]

The lower reservoir will hold up to 66,150,000 m³ (53,630 acre⋅ft) of water of which 41,480,000 m³ (33,630 acre⋅ft) can be used for power generation. The upper reservoir will withhold up to 48,830,000 m³ (39,590 acre⋅ft) of water of which 40,610,000 m³ (32,920 acre⋅ft) can be used for power generation. Water from the upper reservoir is sent to the underground power station down near the lower reservoir.[3]