The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the relicensing of the Claytor hydroelectric project located on the New River in  Pulaski County in Virginia. Appalachian Power Company is seeking to get a new license for the 75 MW project and had filed its application in June 2009.

On March 31, FERC issued a 30-year license to Alabama Power Company to operate its Warrior project (P-2165) on the Black Warrior River in Alabama.

The City of Orrville, OH, has surrendered its license for the Pike Island hydropower project before FERC.

The last day of 2009 saw seven hydropower projects filing their application for certification with the Low Impact Hydropower Institute. In 2009 alone, the Institute issued certifications for nine projects throughout the country. So far, there are 46 LIHI certified projects in 24 states.

The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) has certified three more projects that meet their low-impact certification criteria. The three projects are Winooski in Vermont, Farmers Irrigation District in Oregon; and the Robertson and Ashuelot in New Hampshire.

FERC issued a certification order yesterday confirming increased generation in the Piney hydroelectric project through efficiency improvement. The project is located on the Clarion River in Clarion County, Pennsylvania.

With approval from FERC, the Holtwood hydroelectric facility can now increase its capacity from 107.2MW to 195.5MW.

After withdrawing its application to add capacity to its Holtwood Project last year, PPL Corporation is now looking to revisit the plan.

In a petition submitted last week, two utilities in New England have requested FERC to approve construction of a transmission tie line connecting New England with the Hydro-Québec system in Canada.

The $440 million price tag to expand the Holtwood hydropower project has forced PPL to withdraw its application filed last year to increase capacity at the existing project.