Why visit Ludington
Pumped Storage and Ludington State Park?
Ludington Pumped Storage will allow
us to witness an environmentally favorable form of generating power.
With this type of hydrologic power,
no pollutants are emitted because no fossil fuels are burned. We
will learn
about the fascinating way that the
plant operates and well as the impact that it has on the natural environment.
Ludington State Park will give us yet
another look at dune structure. This will give us more data and observations
for our essay. While we are
here we will think about beach profile and how the road leading to the
park may
have impacted the natural landscape.
Informational sign at the Pumped Storage reservoir overlook.
Along
US-31, about 4 miles from Ludington is a 27 billion gallon reservoir that
is 2.5 miles long and
110 feet deep. The Ludington
Pumped Storage Plant is owned and operated by Consumers Energy and
can produce enough electricity for
a city of 1.4 million people. Customers throughout Michigan benefit
from energy produced here. The
plant is able to respond quickly to changes in energy demands whether they
be
daily, weekly, or seasonal.
The way that the plant operates is
surprisingly simple. At night, when demand for power is low, the
six
reversible turbines pump water 363
feet up hill from Lake Michigan into the reservoir through six large pipes.
When demand for power is high
during the day, the water flows back out the six large pipes, downhill,
turning
turbines to make electricity.
Each of the pipes, or penstocks, is 1300 feet long and large enough
to drive an 18 wheeler through.
This process saves Consumers Energy customers money since power
generated in other ways tends to be
more expensive.
What about the wildlife? To keep
fish protected and 2.5 mile long fish barrier
net was installed to keep alewives,
perch, salmon, and trout away from the power plant. The net is installed
each spring and removed each fall
since fewer fish come near the plant in the winter. Winter weather
would damage the net. Volunteers
have also helped the local bird population stay near their
natural habitat by placing birdhouses
around the plant for bluebirds, chickadees, swallows and sparrows.
Pine and mountain ash trees as well
as autumn olive bushes have been planted on ground also.
