# Kinetic Energy Storage, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications
On May 5, 2025, Kinetic Energy Storage, LLC, filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of the Barber Springs Pumped Storage Project to be located in Lincoln County, New Mexico. The sole purpose of a preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant the permit holder priority to file a license application during the permit term. A preliminary permit does not authorize the permit holder to perform any land-disturbing activities or otherwise enter upon lands or waters owned by others without the owners' express permission.
The proposed project would consist of the following new facilities: (1) a 110-foot-high, 5,435-foot-long concrete lower dam that would impound a 42-acre lower reservoir with a storage capacity of 4,500 acre-feet at a water surface elevation of 7,100 feet above mean sea level (msl); (2) a 110-foot-high, 5,525-foot-long concrete upper dam that would impound a 43-acre upper reservoir with a storage capacity of 4,500 acre-feet at a water surface elevation of 8,200 feet above msl; (3) a possible spillway for the lower dam with undetermined dimensions; (4) one 6,800-foot-long, 14-foot-diameter steel lined penstock branching into three 150-foot-long, 8-foot-diameter turbine penstocks; (5) a 279-foot-long, 230-foot-wide, 270-foot-high underground concrete powerhouse and substation containing three 187-megawatt Pelton Wheel ternary-pump turbine generator units; (6) three 150-foot-long, 9.1-foot-diameter steel lined tailraces; (7) a 1-mile long steel well water supply pipeline; (8) a 37-mile-long, 161-kilovolt or a 79-mile long 161-kilovolt transmission line and (9) appurtenant facilities. The proposed project would have an estimated annual generation of 1,460 gigawatt-hours.
*Applicant Contact:* Mr. David Drips, Principal, Kinetic Energy Storage, LLC, 4709 S Millrace Lane, Murray, UT 84107; email: *[email protected];* phone: (385) 227-7272.
*FERC Contact:* Jane Dalgliesh; email: *[email protected];* phone: (503) 552-2718.
Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file competing applications: on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 21, 2025. Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements of 18 CFR 4.36.
The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, community organizations, Tribal members and others, access publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or *[email protected].*
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and competing applications using the Commission's eFiling system at *https://ferconline.ferc.gov/eFiling.aspx.* Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at *https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx.* For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at *[email protected],* (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-15402-000.
More information about this project, including a copy of the application, can be viewed or printed on the “eLibrary” link of Commission's website at *https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search.* Enter the docket number (P-15402) in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
Dated: September 22, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.