A proposal has been submitted to construct a pumped-storage hydro-electric energy project on the east face of Blue Diamond Hill. If they knew about it, residents all over the valley who were scrimping and saving and conserving water would wonder why anybody would propose water, of all things, as a power source? And not just a little bit of water, 3.3 trillion gallons. Control Technology will be presenting this double reservoir project proposal for the top and bottom of Blue Diamond Hill at the Red Rock Citizen’s Advisory Council meeting, tonight.
Wednesday, March 30, 7pm
Blue Diamond Library
6 Cottonwood Drive
Blue Diamond, NV 89004
The designers have said that it’s because they can pump the water up during the sunny times and send it down the cliff through turbines to produce power in the dark. That would make sense in a wet climate where water is not a scarcity. But for Vegas?
As word is just getting out about this, we are starting to hear all kinds of questions, such as: Why not just use batteries and wind power? What’s the compelling reason to use up so much water? Why Red Rock? Why this mountain? What about Southern Nevada’s severe drought crisis? What are the environmental, social, economic and visual impacts? Who would want to look at a power plant when looking at the sunset? How would the impacts on the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area be mitigated? Could they be? We’re sorry we don’t have any answers. We are just now learning about this as well. It’s a shocking surprise that we all need to learn more about. Please spread the word!
If you can’t make it to the meeting, please submit your public comments to: https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx, and enter the docket number: P-14804 and sub docket number 003 on the first line.
