[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26343-26345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10619]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 405-106]
Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted
for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for
Environmental Analysis, Soliciting Comments, Recommendations,
Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway
Prescriptions, and Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: New Major License
b. Project No.: 405-106
c. Date Filed: August 31, 2012
d. Applicant: Exelon Generation Company, LLC
e. Name of Project: Conowingo Hydroelectric Project
f. Location: On the Susquehanna River, in Harford and Cecil
Counties, Maryland and Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania. The
project does not occupy any federal lands.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r)
h. Applicant Contact: Colleen Hicks, Manager, Regulatory and
Licensing, Hydro, Exelon Power, 300 Exelon Way, Kennett Square, PA
19348, at (610) 765-6791 or email at [email protected] and
Kathleen Barr[ograve]n, Vice President, Federal Regulatory Affairs and
Wholesale Market Policy, Exelon Corporation, 101 Constitution Avenue,
Washington, DC 20001, at (202) 347-7500 or email at
[email protected].
i. FERC Contact: Emily Carter, (202) 502-6512 or
[email protected].
j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments,
recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary
fishway prescriptions is September 30, 2013; reply comments are due
November 14, 2013.
Motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations,
preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions
may be filed electronically via the Internet. See 18 CFR
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site
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. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing,
documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and
seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
The Commission's Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing
documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each
person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an
intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to
the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a
particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document
on that resource agency.
k. This application has been accepted and is ready for
environmental analysis at this time.
l. The existing Conowingo Project consists of a concrete gravity
dam with a maximum height of approximately 94 feet. The dam consists of
a 1,225-foot-long, non-overflow gravity section, a 2,385-foot-long
ogee-shaped spillway section, a 950-foot-long intake-powerhouse
section, and a 100-foot-long non-overflow gravity section. The spillway
consists of a 2,250-foot-long section with a crest elevation of 86.0
feet, and a 135-foot-long section with a crest elevation of 98.5
feet.\1\ The
[[Page 26344]]
spillway is fitted with 50 Stoney-type crest gates and two regulating
gates. Each Stoney crest gate is 22.5 feet high by 38 feet wide and has
a discharge capacity of 16,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) at a
reservoir elevation of 109.2 feet. The two regulating gates are 10 feet
high by 38 feet wide and have a discharge capacity of 4,000 cfs per
gate at a reservoir elevation of 109.2 feet.
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\1\ All elevations are referenced to National Geodetic Vertical
Datum (NGVD) 1929.
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Conowingo dam impounds the Susquehanna River, forming Conowingo
reservoir (Conowingo pond) that extends 14 miles upstream from the dam.
Total storage in the 9,000-acre reservoir is approximately 310,000
acre-feet, and total useable storage is about 71,000 acre-feet at the
normal full pool elevation of 109.2 feet. The elevation of the normal
river surface below the dam is approximately 20.5 feet. The impoundment
provides approximately 89 feet of gross head for power generation
purposes.
The power plant is integral with the dam and is composed of 13
turbine-generator units, draft tubes, and transformer bays. The first
seven turbine-generating units (1-7) are completely enclosed within the
powerhouse, and the last four units (8-11) are located outside. The
hydraulic equipment for units 1-7 consists of Francis-type single
runner hydraulic turbines. The hydraulic equipment for units 8-11
consists of four mixed-flow Kaplan-type hydraulic turbines. Units 1, 3,
4, 6 and 7 have 47.7-megawatt (MW) generators; Units 2 and 5 have 36.0-
MW generators; and Units 8-11 have 65.6-MW generators. Additionally,
two house turbines provide station service and ``black-start''
capability with each unit having a 1.6-MW generator. Water flowing
through the turbines is discharged via the draft tubes into the
tailrace immediately downstream of the dam.
Electricity generated at the project is transmitted by two
individual 220-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines extending from the
project substation to East Nottingham.
The Conowingo Project has an authorized nameplate generating
capacity of 573 MW and generates an average of 1,836,125 megawatt hours
annually. Exelon is not proposing any new or upgraded facilities or
structural changes to the project at this time. Exelon is proposing to
modify the project boundary in the vicinity of upper Broad Creek and
downstream of the Conowingo dam. This modification will remove lands
from upper Broad Creek, as well as downstream of Rowland Island.
Originally included in the construction plans of the project, Exelon
states these lands are no longer necessary for project operation. In
addition, Exelon has engaged interested stakeholders to participate in
the development of a comprehensive settlement agreement based on
collaborative negotiation of specific terms and conditions for the new
Conowingo license.
m. A copy of the application 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 at [email protected] or toll-free at 1-
866-208-3676, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for
inspection and reproduction at the address in item (h) above.
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.
n. Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene
in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure,
18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to
take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments
filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with
the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any
comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or
before the specified comment date for the particular application.
All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title
``PROTEST,'' ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,''
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or
``PRELIMINARY FISHWAY PRESCRIPTIONS;'' (2) set forth in the heading the
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone
number of the person protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise
comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, or prescriptions must
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the
application directly from the applicant. A copy of any protest or
motion to intervene must be served upon each representative of the
applicant specified in the particular application. 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.
You may also 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.
o. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according
to the following Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule
may be made as appropriate.
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Milestone Target date
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Filing of recommendations, September 30, 2013.
preliminary terms and conditions,
and preliminary fishway
prescriptions.
Reply comments due.................. November 14, 2013.
Commission issues draft EIS......... March 29, 2014.
Comments on draft EIS............... May 28, 2014.
Modified terms and conditions....... July 27, 2014.
Commission issues Final EIS......... October 25, 2014.
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p. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of the notice
of ready for environmental analysis.
q. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following
the date of issuance of this notice of acceptance and ready for
environmental analysis provided for in 5.22: (1) A copy of the water
quality certification; (2) a copy of
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the request for certification, including proof of the date on which the
certifying agency received the request; or (3) evidence of waiver of
water quality certification.
Dated: April 29, 2013.
Kimberly D Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-10619 Filed 5-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P