State Reviewing 90.7-Megawatt Viracocha Hill Battery Storage Proposal in Altamont Pass

ALTAMONT PASS, Alameda County — A proposal for a large electricity-storage facility in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area is under state review, according to the California Energy Commission.

What is proposed?

The commission’s Viracocha Hill project page describes a battery energy storage facility rated at 90.7 megawatts and 362.8 megawatt-hours. Applicant Reclaimed Wind, LLC, proposes a developed footprint of approximately 17 acres on a much larger 443-acre parcel in eastern Alameda County. Plans include an approximately 14-acre battery yard, substation, equipment and stormwater facilities, improvements to an access road and a new connection to electrical infrastructure near Ralph Substation.

The power rating describes how much electricity the facility could deliver at one time; the energy figure describes storage capacity. These numbers should not be confused with the number of megawatts of new wind turbines operating at the same location.

Has the state approved construction?

No final approval is established. The commission labels the project Under Review under docket 25-OPT-01. The public page also identifies a November 14, 2025 letter determining the application incomplete. A proposal and a regulatory docket are not permission to begin construction or proof of a functioning battery facility.

How to participate

Residents concerned about safety, fire response, roads, environmental effects or land compatibility can review the official docket and public-comment links. The state lists project manager Eric Veerkamp at 916-661-8458 and STEPsiting@energy.ca.gov. Public participation staff can be contacted at publicadvisor@energy.ca.gov.

Any future hearing date or deadline must be checked in the current docket, not inferred from an earlier preliminary filing.

Source: California Energy Commission, Viracocha Hill Battery Energy Storage System Project, docket 25-OPT-01, checked October 31, 2026. No copyrighted project graphics reproduced.

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