FERC Upholds License for 1,200 MW Goldendale Pumped Storage Project

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has sustained its January 2026 license for the 1,200-megawatt Goldendale Energy Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project in Klickitat County, Washington. In its September commission meeting, FERC addressed rehearing arguments and denied a request to stay the license.

The order leaves in place the original license issued to FFP Project 101, LLC to construct, operate and maintain the facility. FERC said the rehearing order also addresses Tribal consultation and issues arising under the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Federal Power Act.

A storage project with grid-scale reach

Pumped storage moves water between reservoirs at different elevations. Electricity is used to pump water uphill when supply is abundant, and the stored water can later generate power by flowing back through turbines. At 1,200 MW, Goldendale would be a grid-scale resource rather than a small local storage installation.

The September action is a regulatory milestone, not proof that construction has started. A FERC license establishes federal authority under the hydropower statute, but the developer must still satisfy license conditions and coordinate other permits, financing, design and construction arrangements. The rehearing decision narrows one layer of uncertainty while leaving those delivery tasks intact.

What it means

Analysis: The denied stay improves regulatory continuity for the project, which is important for a capital-intensive asset with a long development cycle. It does not eliminate execution or stakeholder risk. Cultural-resource obligations, environmental conditions and Tribal concerns will remain central to compliance and schedule management.

For the Northwest grid, the significance is the scale and duration profile that pumped storage can offer. Long-duration storage can absorb surplus generation and return power during tighter periods, but its economic value depends on transmission access, market spreads and the pace at which other flexible resources enter the system.

Sources

• FERC September 2026 commission meeting summary, September 2026

Representative grid photograph; the Goldendale project is not pictured. Photo: Novoklimov, CC BY 4.0. No editorial alterations; WordPress may resize or crop for display.