The Goldendale Aluminum Smelter has sat abandoned on the Columbia River’s banks since 2003. Now, developers want to build a massive new energy project there that could power a city the size of Seattle. Before they can build it, they must help clean up contaminants that have been sitting in the soil for decades.
The Goldendale Energy Storage Project, built by Rye Development, would consist of an upper and lower pool. Water pumped between the two pools could store about the amount of energy as the Bonneville Dam can produce.
Lawmakers have pushed to quickly build the energy storage project to meet the Northwest’s growing energy demands, including an influx of data centers that rely on inexpensive power. In fact, planning for a new data center at the old smelter site is also underway, though it’s unclear if the two projects are connected.
Removing decades-old contamination
As part of the energy project’s federal license, developers will help pay to get rid of soil and groundwater contamination at the site and provide additional staff and equipment. Washington regulators say that will fast-track the work…