New Mexico State University has been awarded a $14.2 million project to research the feasibility of a large-scale pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) facility on Navajo Nation lands in the Four Corners region. The facility, designed with a capacity of 1,500 MW and 70 hours of storage, would provide reliable long-duration energy storage and essential grid services for the Western Interconnection.
This project is supported by $7.1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy and $7.1 million in cost-share contributions, including $2 million from the New Mexico Department of Higher Education’s Technology Enhancement Fund and $1.1 million from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD).
The project is led by PI Dr. Fengyu Wang (NMSU ECE). I am honored to serve as Co-PI, leading the research on AI and dynamic modeling and simulation of PSH systems. My team will develop advanced computational tools to analyze feasibility, simulate dynamic performance, and optimize grid integration strategies. These methods will help ensure that PSH can enhance renewable integration, system resilience, and reliability for the Western grid.
This award reflects the culmination of over three years of sustained effort by the NMSU team and partners, and highlights the critical role of federal–state–tribal collaboration in advancing resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure.
To learn more about the project, please visit: https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-to-lead-hydropower-project--collaborate-with-navajo-nation/s/58c3d195-a13b-412c-ba21-2a217eeeefb7
