In a serious emergency situation such as the New York blackout of 1977, Mt. Hope could switch all its six units from full pumping mode to full generating mode in as little as one minute or could go from zero to the full 2000 MW capacity in just 10 seconds. This fast response capability could mitigate and possibly avert such emergencies. By comparison, the most modern combustion turbines takes 3 to 5 minutes to reach a sustainable output in such situations. Fast response can effectively reduce the amount of thermal spinning reserve needed to be set aside for contingencies, freeing more existing capacity for normal operating duty. This reliability and fast response.
Mt. Hope can enhance the utilization of the existing regional transmission system.
Its fast response capability and high reliability can reduce the amount of carrying capacity on the system that needs to be held in reserve for emergencies. Furthermore, it can provide voltage support over long distances. These two attributes would allow more of the existing transmission capacity to be utilized, thus enabling additional low-cost electrical power to be brought into the region in times of need from facilities outside the PJM area. This increased capacity can also help defer the need to construct new high-voltage transmission lines. The Project has commissioned Tech Environmental, Boston, to conduct a study to specifically evaluate Mt. Hope's impact on air quality.