Officials Rally Against Proposed Red Lake Hydroelectric Plant

BULLHEAD CITY — Federal, state, and local officials are reacting to the proposed hydroelectric project near Red Lake. On Tuesday, the Mohave County Board of Supervisors vocalized their opposition to the hydroelectric project by Gravity Storage, LLC in a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The proposed 3,000-megawatt facility, located 35 miles northeast of Kingman, utilizes a closed-loop system involving water transfer between two reservoirs to generate power. Concerns have been raised about the project’s water demands on the already-stressed Hualapai aquifer, demanding a significant amount of water for reservoir filling.

According to Mohave County Public Works, the project could cause annual evaporation losses of up to 15,000-acre feet of water, nearly twice the yearly water consumption of the City of Kingman.

Officials pointed out that the power generated will mostly benefit regions outside Mohave County. Despite generating an estimated 3,000 megawatts, surpassing Hoover Dam’s 2,000-megawatt output, the project faces significant local resistance.

Arizona Legislative District 30 State Rep. John Gillette also filed an opposition letter. He highlighted the inconsistency of the project with local ranching traditions and the project’s significant groundwater requirements. Gillette emphasized the project’s lack of local support.

Furthermore, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area has requested involvement as an interested party. Public affairs specialist Alex Harrison noted that the park seeks to be informed of all completed and proposed studies. These studies would cover engineering, economic feasibility, environmental, cultural, tribal, and water supply impacts.