The Blenheim–Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Station is a
pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant in the
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas c ...
of
New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
. The plant is part of the
New York Power Authority
The New York Power Authority (NYPA), officially the Power Authority of the State of New York, is a New York State public-benefit corporation. It is the largest state public power utility in the United States. NYPA provides some of the lowest-co ...
, and can generate over of electricity, all of which is sent to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. It is used daily to cover
peak demand
Peak demand on an electrical grid is simply the highest electrical power demand that has occurred over a specified time period (Gönen 2008). Peak demand is typically characterized as annual, daily or seasonal and has the unit of power.
Peak dem ...
. There are two
reservoirs
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including control ...
that are involved in the project, both with a capacity of ; one at the foot of
Brown Mountain in the
Schoharie Valley, and another one at the top of the mountain. The
power station
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid.
Many p ...
has an accumulated capacity of about after storing up to .
U.S. Department of Energy New York Statistics
/ref>
The reservoir at the foot of the mountain () was created by impounding the Schoharie Creek downstream from the village of Gilboa, New York
Gilboa is a town in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,215 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Gilboa is in the southern part of the county and is southwest of Albany.
History
The town was first settled around 1760. ...
. Water from this reservoir is sent through a concrete shaft up the mountain to the upper reservoir () to be stored until it is needed. When power is needed, the water is sent back down the mountain into the lower reservoir, where it enters a power plant
A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid.
Many pow ...
on the banks of the lower reservoir, and spins a series of turbines in the powerhouse. (This structure is almost completely underwater; only five feet of it can be seen above water when the reservoir is full). The water is sent back into the reservoir, flows over the dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...
that holds the reservoir back, and continues down the rest of the Schoharie Creek. The powerhouse, built in 1973, contained four Hitachi pump/turbine units. The gross head range on the units is . Between 2003 and 2010, the turbines were upgraded so that each generator/motor operates at up to approximately 318 MVA at 0.9 power factor pumping power, or as a generator. Additionally, the old 285 MVA generator step up transformers were replaced with new 17kV/345kV, 325 MVA transformers. Overall plant cycle efficiency is 73%.
Blenheim–Gilboa Visitors Center
The Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center is housed in a restored 18th century dairy barn, and features exhibits and interactive displays that demonstrate the science of energy and electricity, including how power is made and used. Admission to the center is free. The historic Lansing Manor House is a historic house museum adjacent to the Visitors Center. The Visitors Center, Lansing Manor House and the Power Project are located near Mine Kill State Park.
See also
* List of power stations in the United States
The United States is home to a wide variety of power stations. The list below outlines power stations of significance by type, or by the U.S. state, state in which they reside.
By type
The following pages lists the power stations in the United ...
* List of reservoirs and dams in New York
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
* New York energy law
References
External links
NYPA Facilities: Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project
at the Internet Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blenheim-Gilboa Hydroelectric Power Station
Energy infrastructure completed in 1973
Catskills
Dams in New York (state)
Hydroelectric power plants in New York (state)
Pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations in the United States
Science museums in New York (state)
Museums in Schoharie County, New York
Industry museums in New York (state)
Buildings and structures in Schoharie County, New York