Document ID: FERC-2015-0974-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Applications: Sweetwater Authority
Posted Date: 2015-07-29T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45209-45210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18480]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CD15-30-000]

Sweetwater Authority; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a 
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and 
Motions To Intervene

    On July 14, 2015, Sweetwater Authority filed a notice of intent to 
construct a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, pursuant to section 
30 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended by section 4 of the 
Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 (HREA). The proposed 
Perdue Water Treatment Plant Hydroelectric Project would have an 
installed capacity of 700 kilowatts (kW) and would be located on San 
Diego County Water Authority's existing raw water Pipeline 3, which 
carries raw water to a 24-inch diameter turnout pipe which in turn 
transports water into the Perdue Water Treatment Plant. The project 
would be located near Spring Valley in San Diego County, California.
    Applicant Contact: Scott McClelland, Sweetwater Authority, 100 
Lakeview Avenue, Spring Valley, CA 91977, Phone No. (619) 409-1413.
    FERC Contact: Robert Bell, Phone No. (202) 502-6062, email: 
robert.bell@ferc.gov.
    Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The proposed 
project would consist of: (1) A proposed 32-foot-long, 16-inch diameter 
pipe to generating unit one and a proposed 23-foot-long, 14-inch-
diameter pipe to generating unit two; (2) a proposed powerhouse 
containing two generating units with a total installed capacity of 700 
kW; (3) a proposed 10-foot-long, 16-inch diameter pipe from unit one 
and a proposed 23-foot-long, 16-inch-diameter pipe which merge into a 
proposed 11-foot-long, 24-inch-diameter discharge pipe into the 
treatment plant; and (4) appurtenant facilities. The proposed project 
would have an estimated annual generating capacity of 3,784 megawatt-
hours.
    A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined 
or deemed to meet all of the criteria shown in the table below.

[[Page 45210]]

      Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Satisfies  (Y/
     Statutory provision             Description                N)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended   The conduit the facility   Y
 by HREA.                      uses a tunnel, canal,
                               pipeline, aqueduct,
                               flume, ditch, or similar
                               manmade water conveyance
                               that is operated for the
                               distribution of water
                               for agricultural,
                               municipal, or industrial
                               consumption and not
                               primarily for the
                               generation of
                               electricity.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(i), as        The facility is            Y
 amended by HREA.              constructed, operated,
                               or maintained for the
                               generation of electric
                               power and uses for such
                               generation only the
                               hydroelectric potential
                               of a non-federally owned
                               conduit.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(ii), as       The facility has an        Y
 amended by HREA.              installed capacity that
                               does not exceed 5
                               megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii), as      On or before August 9,     Y
 amended by HREA.              2013, the facility is
                               not licensed, or
                               exempted from the
                               licensing requirements
                               of Part I of the FPA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Preliminary Determination: Based upon the above criteria, 
Commission staff preliminarily determines that the proposal satisfies 
the requirements for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility, which is 
not required to be licensed or exempted from licensing.
    Comments and Motions to Intervene: Deadline for filing comments 
contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria is 45 
days from the issuance date of this notice.
    Deadline for filing motions to intervene is 30 days from the 
issuance date of this notice.
    Anyone may submit comments or a motion to intervene in accordance 
with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 
385.210 and 385.214. Any motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified deadline date for the particular proceeding.
    Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must (1) 
bear in all capital letters the ``COMMENTS CONTESTING QUALIFICATION FOR 
A CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY'' or ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' as 
applicable; (2) state in the heading the name of the applicant and the 
project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) 
state the name, address, and telephone number of the person filing; and 
(4) otherwise comply with the requirements of sections 385.2001 through 
385.2005 of the Commission's regulations.\1\ All comments contesting 
Commission staff's preliminary determination that the facility meets 
the qualifying criteria must set forth their evidentiary basis.
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    \1\ 18 CFR 385.2001-2005 (2014).
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    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
motions to intervene and comments using the Commission's eFiling system 
at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit 
brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, 
using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the 
end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or 
(202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper 
copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. A copy of all other filings in 
reference to this application must be accompanied by proof of service 
on all persons listed in the service list prepared by the Commission in 
this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
    Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies of the notice of intent can 
be obtained directly from the applicant or such copies can be viewed 
and reproduced at the Commission in its Public Reference Room, Room 2A, 
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filing may also be 
viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (e.g., CD15-30-000) in 
the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call 
toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. For TTY, 
call (202) 502-8659.

    Dated: July 22, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-18480 Filed 7-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P