Development of pumped storage in a power system

The pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme is by far the most widely used and best-developed method of storing electrical energy. Because it is a net consumer of energy and its function is to make better use of other energy producing plant it is clear that there must be a practical limit to the proportion of pumped-storage plant which can be accommodated on the system. A 3-stage method has been adopted. The first stage is a feasibility assessment, which gives an indication of the quantity of pumped storage that could be accepted on the system. The other two stages involve a more detailed examination of the effect of pumped storage on long-term system security using Monte Carlo simulation and a study of total generating costs, including both capital and running costs. The methods are appropriate for assessing the characteristics of future pumped-storage developments on power systems with a significant proportion of existing hydroelectric and pumped-storage plant. They should also be applicable to systems containing very little hydraulic plant.