[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 227 (Friday, November 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72697-72699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30375]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2558-029]
Central Vermont Public Service Corporation; Notice of License
Application Amendment
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application amendment
has been filed with the Commission and is available for public
inspection. The
[[Page 72698]]
amendment became effective upon completion of the license transfer from
Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc., to Central Vermont Public
Service Corporation on September 2, 2011.
a. Application Type: License Application Amendment for a New Major
License.
b. Project No.: P-2558-029.
c. Date Filed: August 1, 2011.
d. Applicant: Central Vermont Public Service Corporation.
e. Name of Project: Otter Creek Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: The existing project is located on Otter Creek in
Addison and Rutland counties, Vermont. The project does not affect
federal lands.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r) .
h. Applicant Contact: Mike Scarzello, Generation Asset Manager,
Central Vermont Public Service Corporation, 77 Grove Street, Rutland,
VT 05701; Telephone: (802) 747-5207.
i. FERC Contact: Aaron Liberty, Telephone (202) 502-6862, and email
[email protected].
j. The application amendment is not ready for environmental
analysis at this time.
k. Project Description: The existing Otter Creek Project consists
of three developments with a combined installed capacity of 18.1
megawatts (MW). The project produces an average annual generation of
67,258 megawatt-hours. The energy from the project will be used to
serve Central Vermont's retail customers.
The Proctor development, located at river mile 64.2, consists of
the following facilities: (1) An existing 13-foot-high, 128-foot-long
dam with a 3-foot-high inflatable flashboard system; (2) an existing
92-acre reservoir with a storage capacity of 275 acre-feet at a normal
maximum water surface elevation of 469.5 feet above mean sea level
(msl); (3) a gated-forebay intake structure approximately 14 feet deep
by 115 feet long with a maximum width of 48 feet; (4) two intakes with
two penstocks: a 9-foot-diameter, 460-foot-long, riveted steel penstock
that decreases to 8 feet in diameter, and a 7-foot-diameter, 500-foot-
long, spiral welded steel penstock; (5) an original concrete and brick
masonry powerhouse measuring 100 by 33 feet containing four vertical
shaft turbines: three 750-kilowatt (kW) units and one 1,680-kW unit
with a combined maximum hydraulic capacity of 565 cubic feet per second
(cfs); (6) an additional steel structure measuring 28 by 48 feet
attached to the original powerhouse containing one 3,000-kW vertical
shaft unit with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 325 cfs; (7) generator
leads; (8) a 0.48/4.16-kilovolt (kV) single phase transformer; (9) a
0.48/46-kV step-up transformer; (10) three winding transformer banks;
and (11) appurtenant facilities.
The Beldens development, located at river mile 23, consists of the
following facilities: (1) Two existing concrete dams on either side of
a ledge/bedrock island with 2.5-foot-high wooden flashboards: a 15-
foot-high, 56-foot-long dam (west) and a 24-foot-high, 57-foot-long dam
(east); (2) an existing 22-acre reservoir with a storage capacity of
253 acre-feet at a normal maximum water surface elevation of 282.52
feet msl; (3) two intakes equipped with trashracks: a 79-foot-long
intake and a 35-foot-long intake with a 95-foot-long sluiceway; (4) a
12-foot-diameter, 30-foot-long steel penstock that bifurcates into two
10-foot-diameter sections, each leading to an original powerhouse; (5)
a 12-foot-diameter, 45-foot-long concrete penstock that leads to a
newer powerhouse; (6) an original concrete and masonry powerhouse
measuring 40 by 44 feet containing a 800-kW vertical shaft unit and
949-kW vertical shaft unit with a combined maximum hydraulic capacity
of 650 cfs; (7) a second, newer concrete powerhouse measuring 40 by 75
feet containing a 4,100-kW vertical shaft unit with a maximum hydraulic
capacity of 1,350 cfs; (8) generator leads; (9) a 2.4/46-kV step-up
transformer bank; and (10) appurtenant facilities.
The Huntington Falls development, located at river mile 21,
consists of: (1) An existing 31-foot-high, 187-foot-long concrete dam
with a 2.5-foot-high inflatable flashboard system; (2) an existing 23-
acre reservoir with a storage capacity of 234 acre-feet at a normal
maximum water surface elevation of 218.1 feet msl; (3) two intakes
equipped with trashracks: a 40-foot-long intake and a 24-foot-long
intake; (4) three penstocks: two 10-foot-diameter, 30-foot-long steel
penstocks leading to an original powerhouse, and a 12-foot-diameter,
75-foot-long concrete penstock leading to a newer powerhouse; (5) an
original brick masonry powerhouse measuring 42 by 60 feet containing a
600-kW vertical shaft unit and a 800-kW vertical shaft unit with a
combined maximum hydraulic capacity of 660 cfs; (6) a second, newer
powerhouse measuring 40 by 75 feet containing a 4,100-kW vertical shaft
unit with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 1,350 cfs; (7) generator
leads; (8) a 2.4/46-kV step-up transformer bank; and (9) appurtenant
facilities.
Currently, the Proctor development operates in a modified run-of-
river mode, with infrequent diversions at the direction of the
Independent System Operator--New England, while the Beldens and
Huntington Falls developments operate in a run-of-river mode. The
Proctor development currently provides a continuous downstream minimum
flow of 100 cfs or inflow to the development, whichever is less, with
minimum flows from April through mid-June equal to at least 50 percent
of project inflows. A bypassed reach minimum flow of 5 cfs is currently
released at the Beldens development through an opening in the
flashboards along the west dam. A bypassed reach minimum flow of 15 cfs
is currently released at the Huntington Falls development via a minimum
flow gate at the right abutment of the dam.
Central Vermont proposes several physical changes to existing
project facilities at the Proctor and Huntington Falls developments. At
the Proctor development, Central Vermont proposes to: (1) Realign the
intake headworks, such that the existing structure and components
(sluice gate, trashracks, and/or headgates) will be modified with the
entrance widened and deepened to reduce significant head losses through
the intake structure; (2) install a new runner at Unit 1; replace Units
2-4 with new turbine/generators; and install new electrical switchgear,
breakers, controls, and relays, resulting in an increase in nameplate
capacity from 6,930 kW to a preliminary estimated design of 9,240 kW,
and an increase in the existing hydraulic capacity from 890 cfs to
approximately 1,150 cfs; and (3) improve station access by constructing
a permanent bridge to enable the Proctor development capacity
improvements.
At the Huntington Falls development, Central Vermont proposes to:
(1) Upgrade Units 1 and 2, resulting in an increase in nameplate
capacity from 5,500 kW to a preliminary estimated design of 6,725 kW,
and an increase in the existing hydraulic capacity from 2,010 cfs to
approximately 2,250 cfs; and install new switchgear, breakers, control
and relays and (2) replace the current Unit 3 trashrack configuration
of 2-inch, clear spaced bars at a 45 degree angle to river flow with
3.5-inch-spaced racks, at a 90 degree angle to river flow, resulting in
clear spacing of 3 inches.
Central Vermont proposes operational changes to existing project
operations at the Proctor development. Central Vermont proposes to
eliminate the existing 4-foot drawdown of the reservoir surface, with
the exception of infrequent emergency operations and maintenance, and
to implement a cycling operation that would utilize a 1.5-foot
drawdown/refill cycle between
[[Page 72699]]
June 16 and March 31, provided that the existing downstream minimum
flow requirement during refill of at least 100 cfs is maintained.
Central Vermont also proposes to refrain from conducting reservoir
drawdowns during the period of April 1 to June 15, when Proctor will be
operating in a run-of-river mode. In addition, peaking constraints
would be utilized under normal operations of no greater than a 4.5:1
ratio between maximum and minimum flow in a 24-hour period.
Central Vermont is also proposing to alter the existing bypassed
reach minimum flows at the Proctor and Beldens developments. At the
Proctor development, Central Vermont is proposing to provide a
continuous bypassed reach minimum flow of 54 cfs, and to provide the
remainder of the existing 100-cfs minimum tailrace flow through the
powerhouse. At the Beldens development, Central Vermont is proposing to
provide a 10-cfs minimum flow in both the east and west channels.
Central Vermont is also proposing the following environmental
measures: (1) Improve and enhance the existing take-out for the canoe
portage around the Beldens dam; (2) formalize and enhance the tailwater
access site at the Proctor development; and (3) provide expanded public
recreational use of the site adjacent to the Proctor development's
penstock that would provide viewing opportunities with interpretive
signage for public education about the historic Vermont Marble
buildings and local cultural history.
l. Locations of the Application Amendment: A copy of the
application amendment is available for review at the Commission in the
Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at
http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket
number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to
access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. A
copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address
in item h above.
You may register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
m. Procedural Schedule: The application amendment will be processed
according to the following revised Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions
to the schedule may be made as appropriate.
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Milestone Target date
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Issuance of additional information December 2011.
request.
Filing of requested additional March 2012.
information.
Re-issue Notice of Ready for March 2012.
Environmental Analysis.
Issue single EA........................ September 2012.
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n. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
Dated: November 18, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-30375 Filed 11-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P