The Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage Project is one step closer to bringing pumped storage hydropower to Kentucky. Rye Development, the leading U.S. developer of pumped storage, is excited to announce it has submitted a Draft License Application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the 287-megawatt pumped storage hydropower facility.

The project, which converts former mine land in Bell County into a key energy storage resource, will be a significant driver of economic growth in southeastern Kentucky. It will create approximately 1,500 construction jobs during the multiyear construction period and provide increased revenue for local businesses and government.

“Achieving this milestone means that we’re closer to bringing new jobs and critical energy infrastructure to southeastern Kentucky,” said Sandy Slayton, vice president of Rye Development and the project manager for the Lewis Ridge Project. “Pumped storage hydropower is a proven technology built to last for more than a century, and we’re excited to work with Kentuckians to create a new energy legacy.”

In March, the U.S. Department of Energy selected Lewis Ridge to receive $81 million to advance the project, which will have the capacity to store electricity for up to eight hours and generate electricity to power 67,000 homes.

Rye is working to hire and train a local workforce, in partnership with Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), a nonpartisan organization dedicated to reversing population loss and driving prosperity in the Kentucky Appalachian region. SOAR was recently selected by the U.S. Economic Development Administration to receive a $40 million Recompete Grant through the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

“The Lewis Ridge project will provide significant economic impact to the state, and particularly our southeastern region, bringing with it hundreds of multiyear construction jobs and valuable training opportunities," said Colby Hall, executive director of SOAR. “We are proud to partner with Rye, and look forward to a long and beneficial relationship.”

The FERC licensing process is expected to take about two years and involves numerous engagement opportunities for public agencies, tribes, community members and other interested parties. Rye anticipates submitting a Final License Application to FERC in spring of 2025. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.