FERC receives license application for 260-MW Mineville pumped storage
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission received a license application in February from Moriah Hydro Corp. to develop the 260-MW Mineville pumped-storage project in New York. The Energy Infrastructure Update for February, compiled by FERC’s Office of Energy Projects, listed the Mineville application as the month’s sole hydro activity.
Albany Engineering Corp. http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2013/10/ferc-receives-draft-application-for-260-mw-mineville-underground-pumped-storage-project.html filed a draft application for the Mineville project in 2013 on behalf of Moriah Hydro. Moriah Hydro proposes that the Mineville project be constructed within the interconnected Old Bed, New Bed, Bonanza open pit, and Harmony mines, which were developed by Republic Steel and its predecessors. The mines extend from a surface elevation of 1,263 feet above mean sea level downward 4,000 feet.
The project is to use no stream or other water body nor to utilize any dam or spillway. The upper reservoir is to be located in the mine between 495 and 1,095 feet MSL, while the lower reservoir would be between -1,075 and -1,555 feet MSL. Each reservoir would hold about 2,448 acre-feet.
Mineville’s underground powerhouse is to contain 20 units of five reversible pump-turbines each, totaling 260 MW and capable of generating 737.6 million kWh annually. It would connect to an existing transmission line a mile from the project.
British Columbia unveils mussel defense plan
British Columbia has increased its efforts to protect itself against zebra and quagga mussels, launching a US$1 million program aimed at early detection and rapid response to sightings, in anticipation of the 2015 boating season.
“Invasive mussels can impact the efficiency of our hydroelectric generating facilities by attaching themselves to the surfaces on our dams,” BC Hydro Deputy Chief Executive Officer Chris O’Riley said. “This is a big threat, especially to our facilities on the Columbia River, where about 50% of the electricity used by British Columbians each year is generated.”
The government said the program will allow teams to inspect and decontaminate boats entering from Alberta, in addition to boats from the U.S. identified as a concern by the Canadian Border Services Agency and U.S.-based partners. The teams will include students and recent graduates from Vancouver Island University.
The funding will also be used to install 24 highway signs promoting the province’s “Clean, Drain, Dry” program at significant entry points, as well as expanding the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line to receive and coordinate reports of mussel threats or sightings.
British Columbia said it is continuing to work with Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan to implement a “perimeter defense plan” against zebra and quagga mussels.
Crow Tribe announces partnership to complete 8-MW Yellowtail Afterbay project
The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Crow Tribe have announced an agreement to develop an 8-MW project at the Yellowtail Afterbay Dam on Montana’s Bighorn River. The agreement is part of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2010, which gives the tribe the exclusive right to develop and market power generation produced at the infrastructure.
“This is an excellent opportunity for development of new hydropower capacity on existing infrastructure,” Deputy Secretary of Interior Michael L. Connor said. “Working through the Bureau of Reclamation, Interior is pleased to assist the Crow Tribe on its Yellowtail Afterbay hydro development, resulting in clean, renewable energy, and creating vital jobs in the process.”
The Crow Tribe will be responsible for overall management of the project, while Reclamation will provide technical assistance in ensuring the plant coexists with the existing Yellowtail Dam. http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2013/08/u-s-extends-bidding-for-turbine-generator-cooling-coils-for-250-mw-yellowtail-dam.html Yellowtail Dam is a 72-foot-high concrete gravity structure about 2 miles upstream from the afterbay dam.
The federal agencies said the project’s developers must now complete collecting design data before submitting plans to Reclamation for review.
DOE, Army, Interior extend partnership for hydroelectric power development
The U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of the Army for Civil Works will continue their partnership to advance hydroelectric development for an additional five years, extending an agreement that stems to March 2010. The http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&pageid=1018386 Memorandum of Understanding for Hydropower – Sustainable Hydropower Action Plan (Phase II) is intended to support the Obama Administrations http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2013/06/presidential-climate-change-memorandum-includes-hydroelectric-power.html 2013 Climate Action Plan, which seeks to double the U.S. renewable generating portfolio by 2020 and http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/hr/print/volume-34/issue-1/articles/how-legislation-is-boosting-hydro-development-in-the-u-s.html more in coming decades.
“Our collaboration … enables our nation to responsibly expand America’s largest source of clean, renewable energy,” Deputy Secretary of Energy Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall said. “I am excited about this opportunity to diversify our nation’s energy portfolio, boost our energy security, and reduce carbon emissions with the advanced hydropower technologies that the Department of Energy is helping to develop and deploy.”
The partnership allows for continued work on objectives:
- Improving the accuracy and reducing costs of water flow measurement technology;
- Evaluating superconducting generator technology;
- Further developing low-impact, low-cost technologies;
- Designing tools to improve the environmental performance of hydropower turbines; and
- Assessing risks to domestic hydroelectric generation and water infrastructure that are posed by climate change.
http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/hr/print/volume-29/issue-6/departments/breaking-news-hydro-currents.html The first phase of the initiative has created a number of new projects, including 10 non-federal projects at Reclamation facilities that have a cumulative capacity of 33 MW. Meanwhile, three non-federal projects comprising 19.4 MW at Corps infrastructure have come on line.
Montana considers bill to add existing hydro to RPS
The Governor of Montana is considering a bill that would revise the Montana Renewable Power Production and Rural Economic Development Act to, among other things, include existing hydroelectric resources in the definition of “eligible renewable resource” under the state’s renewable portfolio standard.
The bill, named Senate Bill (SB) 114, includes language that says, “the term also includes electricity produced from an existing hydroelectric facility that commenced commercial operation in Montana before January 1, 2005.” It also says, “The term does not include federal hydroelectric facilities located in Montana.”
Montana’s current http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2013/11/second-federal-rps-proposal-also-includes-hydroelectric-power.html RPS requires that electric utilities get 15% of their energy from renewable sources.
The existing act, adopted in 2005, limited hydro projects receiving credit to those that do “not require a new appropriation, diversion, or impoundment of water and that has a nameplate rating of 10 megawatts or less” or “is installed at an existing reservoir or on an existing irrigation system that does not have hydroelectric generation as of April 16, 2009.” Also included were expansion of existing projects that commenced construction and increased existing capacity on or after Oct. 1, 2013.
The bill was transmitted to Governor Steve Bullock on March 17. The scheduled return date was April 10.
Hill to direct FERC Division of Hydropower Administration, Compliance
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has named Jennifer Hill director of the Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance in FERC’s Office of Energy Projects. Hill, who served as chief of the Northwest Branch in FERC’s Division of Hydropower Licensing since 2002, succeeds http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2010/05/abrams-to-direct-ferc-division-of-hydropower-administration-compliance.html Edward Abrams, who served as DHAC director since 2010.
Joining FERC as a fisheries biologist, Hill has served the commission in various positions for 26 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology, a master’s in fisheries biology and a doctorate in fish ecology.
Hill is to manage 50 interdisciplinary staff in post-licensing tracking and in administering license requirements. DHAC inspects site conditions, investigates compliance issues, and assesses penalties. The division also is responsible for processing license amendment, transfer, and surrender applications.
Nine U.S. plants to be sold by Eversource Energy
Eversource Energy is selling nine hydropower plants as part of an agreement reached with key state officials on March 12.
The agreement is focused on providing customer savings and resolving other related issues currently under review by state regulators, Eversource says. This agreement moves operation of the Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) plants to competitive markets rather than remaining an ongoing ratepayer obligation, according to a company press release.
The company’s nine plants are located throughout http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2006/09/nh-relicensing-pact-promotes-fish-passage-on-merrimack.html New Hampshire, with several of them still operating ater more than a century. The plants and their capacity are: 16-MW Amoskeag Hydro in Manchester, 8.4-MW Ayers Island in Bristol, 1.1-MW Canaan Hydro in West Stewartstown, 12.3-MW Garvins Falls in Bow, 2.15-MW Gorham Hydro in Gorham, 1.6-MW Hooksett Hydro in Hooksett, http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/hr/print/volume-33/issue-4/articles/replacing-an-aged-woodstave-penstock.html 3.5-MW Jackman Hydro in Hillsborough and 15.2-MW Smith Hydro in Berlin.
Eversource also will sell three http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/hr/print/volume-30/issue-4/departments/industry-news.html PNSH fossil-fueled plants.
The buyer must honor existing collective bargaining agreements and must agree to keep the plants in service for at least 18 months following purchase. Upon sale of the plants, Eversource will purchase energy for its New Hampshire customers in the market.
Eversource estimates that the agreement, with provisions not included here because they do not involve hydro assets, includes an estimated $300 million in savings over the next five years.
Final FERC EIS endorses relicensing three Susquehanna River projects
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff has issued a final environmental impact statement recommending the relicensing of three projects totaling 1,394.41 MW on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
The EIS generally recommends relicensing York Haven Power Co.’s http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/hr/print/volume-31/issue-2/departments/rd-forum.html 19.62-MW York Haven project in Pennsylvania, and Exelon Generation Co.’s 800.25-MW Muddy Run Pumped-Storage project in Pennsylvania and http://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2012/11/marylands-57454-mw-conowingo-hydropower-project-weathering-effects-of-hurricane-sandy.html 574.54-MW Conowingo project in Maryland. FERC staff recommends the commission relicense the projects as proposed by the licensees with a number of FERC staff modifications. For York Haven, the licensee reached a settlement agreement with area resource agencies that addressed fish passage, flow management and endangered species.
Primary relicensing issues are sedimentation effects on aquatic resources downstream of Conowingo including Chesapeake Bay; instream flows downstream of Conowingo; water quality; fish passage for shad, eel and other diadromous species; protection of sensitive plant and wildlife species; recreation enhancements; and protection of cultural resources.
York Haven proposes to construct a nature-like fishway, simulating a natural riffle and gradually sloping channel. Exelon proposes no major changes to Muddy Run but proposes construction of eel trapping facilities at Conowingo to help migration.
In the first year of operation, York Haven project power would cost $2.65 per MWh more than the cost of alternative power, while Muddy Run would cost $31.07/MWh less and Conowingo would cost $17.15/MWh less than the cost of alternative power.
More HR Archives Issue Articles
