The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued preliminary permits for the study of Pennsylvania hydro projects: one to Lock+ Hydro Friends Fund XXVII LLC for 850-kW Cowanesque Dam Hydropower Project and one to Lock+ Hydro Friends Fund XXIX LLC for 1.5-MW Curwensville Dam Hydropower Project.
Both projects would be located at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams in Tioga County, one at Cowanesque Dam on the Cowanesque River and the other at Curwensville Dam on the West Branch Susquehanna River.
The proposed Cowanesque project would consist of:
- New 30-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, 160-foot-high large frame module
- Two turbine-generator units with a total capacity of 850 kW, which would produce 3,700 MWh of electricity annually
- New 4-foot-long, 4-foot-wide, 3-foot-high pad-mounted transformer
- New 200-foot-long 13-kV transmission line connecting the new transformer to an existing distribution line
The proposed Curwensville project would consist of:
- New 30-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, 160-foot-high large frame module
- Two turbine-generator units with a total capacity of 1.5 MW, which would produce 6,800 MWh of electricity annually
- New 4-foot-long, 4-foot-wide, 3-foot-high pad-mounted transformer
- New 300-foot-long 13-kV transmission line connecting the new transformer to an existing distribution line
The preliminary permits are effective Jan. 1, 2020, and end either 48 months from the effective date or on the date that a development application submitted by the permittee has been accepted for filing, whichever occurs first.
According to FERC, “Section 4(f) of the FPA authorizes the Commission to issue preliminary permits for the purpose of enabling prospective applicants for a hydropower license to secure the data and perform the acts required by section 9 of the FPA, which in turn sets forth the material that must accompany an application for license. The purpose of a preliminary permit is to preserve the right of the permit holder to have the first priority in applying for a license for the project that is being studied. Because a permit is issued only to allow the permit holder to investigate the feasibility of a project while the permittee conducts investigations and secures necessary data to determine the feasibility of the proposed project and to prepare a license application, it grants no land-disturbing or other property rights.”
