pumped storage

noun

: a hydroelectric system in which electricity is generated during periods of high demand by the use of water that has been pumped into a reservoir at a higher altitude during periods of low demand

Examples of pumped storage in a Sentence

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This pumped storage hydroelectric facility would use a pair of manmade reservoirs at different elevations to retain no more than eight hour’s worth of electricity during low power usage times and alternate to generate 287 megawatts of electricity during peak demands, such as during extreme weather. — Noël Fletcher, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 The other main source of storage will be pumped storage hydroelectricity, also known as pumped hydro, where water is pumped to a higher elevation when electricity is plentiful and cheap—like on sunny, windy days—and released when supply dips or demand spikes. — Tim De Chant, Ars Technica, 6 Dec. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pumped storage was in 1927

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Cite this Entry

“Pumped storage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pumped%20storage. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

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