Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station

Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station
Overview of the reservoirs
Location of Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station in South Carolina
Country	United States
Location	Oconee County, near Salem, South Carolina
Coordinates	35°00′24″N 82°59′40″W / 35.00667°N 82.99444°WCoordinates: 35°00′24″N 82°59′40″W / 35.00667°N 82.99444°W
Status	Operational
Commission date	1991
Owner(s)	Duke Energy
Pumped-storage power station
Upper reservoir	Bad Creek Reservoir
Lower reservoir	Lake Jocassee
Generating units	4 x 266 MW (357,000 hp) Francis pump turbines
Power generation
Nameplate capacity	1,065 MW (1,428,000 hp)

The Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station is a pumped-storage hydroelectric power station located 8 miles (13 km) north of Salem in Oconee County, South Carolina. The 1,065 megawatts (1,428,000 hp) power plant is owned by Duke Energy and its last generator was commissioned in 1991. The power station generates electricity by shifting water between an upper and lower reservoir. The upper Bad Creek Reservoir was created by damming Bad Creek and West Bad Creek while Lake Jocassee serves as the lower reservoir. During periods of low energy demand, the four 266 megawatts (357,000 hp) Francis pump turbines pump water from Lake Jocassee which lies at an elevation of 1,110 feet (340 m) to the Bad Creek Reservoir at an elevation of 2,310 ft (704 m) through a 1 mile (1.6 km) tunnel. When energy demand is high, water is released back from Bad Creek Reservoir back down to the pump turbines which then operate as generators. After electricity is produced, the water is returned to Lake Jocassee. The process is repeated as needed, primarily with the facility serving as a peaking power plant.^[1][2][3]

References

1. "Bad Creek". Duke Energy. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
2. Grigg, Neil S. (1996). Water resources management : principles, regulations, and cases. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 76. ISBN 0-07-024782-X.
3. "Pumped-Storage Plants in the USA". Indust Cards. Retrieved 9 January 2012.