Cuffs Run hydroelectric project gains preliminary approval. Environmental groups oppose it

Mike Argento, York Daily Record
·2 min read

The Cuffs Run hydroelectric storage project isn't going away, despite the wishes of preservationists and environmentalists who oppose it.

Last Thursday, Feb. 1, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepted a preliminary permit application for York Energy Storage to construct a $2.1 billion project along the Susquehanna River at Cuffs Run, at the southern end of Lake Clarke just above the Holtwood Dam.

This map shows the boundaries of a proposed pumped storage project at Cuff Run on the Susquehanna River.
This map shows the boundaries of a proposed pumped storage project at Cuff Run on the Susquehanna River.

The project, which was first proposed in the 1990s and was resurrected and abandoned in 2011, was brought back to life in 2023. FERC, however, rejected the plans last fall, citing a variety of issues, including that the plans were not as detailed as they needed to be. The Reading-based developer resubmitted the plans in December, which gained preliminary approval last week.

The plans call for construction of a 1.8-mile-long dam to create a 580-acre reservoir on the bluff 225-feet above above the western bank of the river in Lower Chanceford Township. The project would displace more than 40 people, flood acres of what preservationists call prime farmland and destroy what they say is among the last wilderness areas in that stretch of the river.

The project is intended to store energy, via hydroelectric power, during times of excess electricity production and create power when supplies run low. The developers assert that it is necessary to store electricity generated by solar and wind power to make up for times when those renewable sources of energy cannot produce power.

Previously: It's back: Developers file new plan for massive hydroelectric project on the Susquehanna

The project: New version of controversial Cuffs Run pumped storage plant proposed along Susquehanna

FERC's approval immediately drew opposition from preservationists. The Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area and the Lancaster Conservancy, among other groups, have all expressed opposition to the project, asserting that it is unnecessary and that would cause gross environmental damage to the river.

"This proposed project is the antithesis of our efforts to protect and restore the natural landscape of the lower Susquehanna River," Fritz Schroeder, president and CEO of the Lancaster Conservancy, said in a statement.

The conservancy is organizing opposition to the project with other organizations and is preparing to legally intervene to block the project.

Those who oppose the project have until April 1 to file objections with FERC.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Environmental groups pledge opposition to Cuffs Run power project