The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order approving surrender of the operating license for the 85 kW McGee Creek Hydroelectric Project in Atoka County, Ok.
McGee Creek Authority filed the application to surrender the license and remove the hydroelectric generator in February 2022. The project is on McGee Creek in the city of Farris, at the Bureau of Reclamation’s McGee Creek dam.
The license for the project was issued in June 1986. The licensee operates the dam and powerhouse, but only the powerhouse section is part of the license. The powerhouse section consists of a penstock, a powerhouse structure with one turbine-generator unit, a transmission system, a discharge line that is less than 5 feet between the generator and the outlet works, which belongs to Reclamation.
When the project was in operation, the turbine used the required minimum flow. The project has not operated since 2015, when the wicket gates became stuck in the closed position due to deterioration. The licensee directed the minimum flow back to the original discharge line. The company that built the powerhouse went out of business and the licensee has not been able to find replacement parts. To resume hydropower generation, the licensee likely would have to replace the entire generator unit, which it estimates would take 17 years to recoup the cost, with a 20-year guarantee on the unit. Based on this, the licensee determined the project is no longer economical.
The dam is 161 feet high, with a crest length of 30 feet. All of the McGee Creek Dam infrastructure would remain in place and would not be affected by decommissioning of the hydroelectric generator, according to the FERC notice.
On Nov. 9, FERC approved the application to surrender the license. The licensee must remove the hydroelectric generator and its appurtenances within 90 days from the date of the order.
