Virginia’s Next Hydro Power Giants | Roanoke News

Rye Development is poised to revolutionize Virginia’s energy grid with two massive pumped storage hydro projects in Wise County — Stonega, already permitted, and Bluff Spur, pending approval — set to become the state’s third and fourth such facilities. Using water to store and release energy, these stations will stabilize the grid during peak demand, echoing the success of the nation’s largest pumped storage plant in Bath County. While federal grants already support a similar project in Kentucky, local officials and environmentalists are urging greater community involvement as public comment on Bluff Spur closes soon — especially since a previous attempt in Virginia was scrapped. With construction still years away, the focus is on transparency, environmental review, and economic opportunity. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/076ad00331fe0002