Exploring the Multifaceted Role of Pumped Storage at Niagara

Abstract

Energy systems are not only intrinsically interesting, because power is itself of importance; they raise fascinating trade-offs in other areas particularly since there are almost invariably technical, economic, and ecological dimensions to these considerations. This paper illustrates this interplay through a staged process that starts with a direct optimization approach for a pumped-storage facility with the simple goal of achieving an optimal profit given well-forecasted flows and energy prices. Sir Adam Beck Pumping Generating Station, located on the Niagara River, is selected as the subject of the model application. When analyzed for probable changes in current electricity rates, a 1–24% reduction in profit is realized depending on the month. Interestingly, relative to current design the model predicts only modest profit throughout the year with an increasing reservoir footprint. Since considerations other than the purely technical quickly arise, this paper considers the trade-off between hydropower and ecological targets imposed by the 1950 Niagara River Treaty. This exploratory study makes no pretense to forecast likely or advisable developments, but rather considers a possible role that a pumped-storage operation might hypothetically play in the Ontario spot market.