Battle brews in York County over proposed $2 billion hydroelectric dam project - WHP Harrisburg
Battle brews in York County over proposed $2 billion hydroelectric dam project
YORK COUNTY, Pa — A battle over a massive plot of land in York County has been going on for decades
One company wants to bring a two billion dollar hydroelectric dam along Clark Creek.
York Energy Storage LLC says this is the best location on the east coast for the dam.
However, local and politicians are worried it will destroy that part of York County.
The dam needs multiple reservoirs of water to pump in order to conduct energy for a grid that serves thousands of people in PA and several other states.
For the first time, CBS 21 spoke with the man behind the project.
York Energy Storage LLC is currently applying for a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission preliminary permit for their hydroelectric pump storage project.
It would use the Susquehanna River and Lake Clark as the lower reservoir, with a new upper reservoir spanning approximately 580 acres.
William McMahon, a member of York Energy Storage LLC explained, “The benefit of the project is to benefit millions of people to have reliable electricity power from clean, renewable energy in the long term future.”
McMahon highlighted other potential benefits, including the creation of 300 union jobs during construction, 25 permanent jobs to operate the plant, and various taxes generated.
“We’re going to be a big taxpayer,” said McMahon. “We’ll be helping the local community and township, we’ll be helping the local school district and we’ll also be helping York County in our property taxes.”
However, the project faces opposition from Congressman Lloyd Smucker and local officials.
The project is facing opposition from local politicians, including Congressman Lloyd Smucker.
McMahon says they are misinformed and sent a letter to Smucker.
Smucker replied, stating that his letter “does not change the fact that public officials representing both sides of the Susquehanna River and both sides of the aisle oppose his plan to uproot families via eminent domain, flood prime farmland, and damage the natural beauty of the landscape.”
Community members are also fighting back against the project.
Jake Horton, his wife, and his daughters have lived in Chanceford Township for 23 years.
Now, they stand to lose their 70 acres of farmland.
Horton commented, “Makes me want to cry. It makes me mad, it makes me want to fight.”
One of his daughters, Reena Horton, added, “It’s just devastating to think about our childhood home which we have cherished memories of over the years being flooded.”
During the permit process, the public is allowed to send comments on the project to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission through the end of March.
To discuss how to write these letters correctly, the community is holding a meeting on March 4 at 6 p.m. at the Chanceford Township building.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: hydropower
Hydropower — electricity generated by turbines capturing energy from moving water — was for many years the primary contributor of renewable energy to the U.S. electricity grid. Its growth was rapid into the 1970s, and since then has offered a stable supply of power, while a declining share of all generation. For many years, hydropower was seen as clean energy and an unalloyed good, but a greater understanding of the impact of dams on ecosystems and wildlife has led to the removal of some dams. As of 2019, hydropower trails wind as a renewable source of power generation.