Hydropower Reform Coalition - Pennsylvania

Efficiency Improvement Qualifies Piney Hydro Project for Tax Credits

Rupak Thapaliya — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:09:47 -0600

Project: Piney : P-309

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.

In its application filed in October 2009, Brookfield stated that it had replaced one of its units (Unit 3 runner) with a more efficient runner which resulted in an increase in energy generation by 368,000 kWh. This amounts to an increase of 0.5% in generation.

This is the second time the project has been upgraded. Previously the other two turbines were also replaced with more efficient runners.

After the certification, the project is now eligible to receive tax credits from the IRS. Tax credits for renewable energy were extended just before President Bush left office.

Holtwood Project Authorized to Increase Capacity

Rupak Thapaliya — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:04:25 -0600

Project: Holtwood : P-1881

With approval from FERC, the Holtwood hydroelectric facility can now increase its capacity from 107.2MW to 195.5MW. FERC's order issued on October 30 has also extended the license term. With the extension, the license will now expire on August 31, 2030.

PPL, the licensee for the project, expects to spend $400 million for the upgrade alongside improvements in fish passage at the facility. Holtwood is one of five hydroelectric projects on the Susquehanna River. The other four are the 19.6 MW York Haven (P-1888), the 417.5 MW Safe Harbor (P-1025), the 512 MW Conowingo (P- 405), and the 880-MW Muddy Run Pump Storage (P-2355) projects.

Coalition member American Whitewater was actively involved in the proceedings for this project and became a party to a settlement agreement addressing recreational issues in August 2009. Among other things, the Settlement allows for construction of two whitewater features, provides access and improves boating flows.

FERC order approving the amendment is available here.

PPL Revives Plan To Expand Holtwood Project

Rupak Thapaliya — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:51:19 -0500

Project: Holtwood : P-1881

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

In a letter filed last Thursday, PPL has requested FERC to accept an application which it states is virtually the same as the one submitted to FERC in December 2007 (and withdrawn in December 2008). The company has also requested to restart the licensing process from where it left off.

PPL’s renewed interest comes after the recently passed economic stimulus package allowed for tax incentives for incremental hydropower projects such as this. However, to qualify for assistance, the additional capacity at Holtwood would have to be operational by Jan. 1, 2014. The company plans to increase the capacity of the project from 107.2 MW to 195.5 MW.

An article quotes a PPL spokesman as stating that the credits allowed by the stimulus package could fetch PPL $100 million.

Utility in PA Withdraws Plans to Expand Hydroproject

Rupak Thapaliya — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:03:34 -0600

Project: Holtwood : P-1881

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.

PPL Corporation had plans to increase the capacity of the existing project by 125 MW.PPL currently has a FERC license that expires in 2014.

The amendment would also have extended the license term for until 2030, in the absence of which PPL will now have to start relicensing process next year.

A press release issued yesterday quotes the CEO of PPL as saying," As we evaluated this project in light of current economic conditions and projections of future energy prices, we reached the conclusion that it is no longer economically justifiable."

FERC Releases FEIS for Holtwood Project

Rupak Thapaliya — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:49:42 -0600

Project: Holtwood : P-1881

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposal to increase capacity at the Holtwood hydroelectric project (P-1881) on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.

The operator of the project has requested to construct a new powerhouse that would house two turbines and other supplementing generating units thereby increasing the capacity of the project from 107.2 MW to 195.5 MW. In its application filed last year, PPL Holtwood also requested for a 16-year extension in the license term to September 2030.

In the FEIS released last week, FERC staff has recommended that the project be licensed with certain modifications to PPL Holtwood's proposal. Such modifications include:

Operating the project fish lifts for upstream passage of resident species from September 1 to October 15 for 5 years

Including specific provisions for mitigation of construction effects on fish passage efficiency of

Developing and implementing a recreational use monitoring plan

Adding provisions to the land and shoreline management plan

The FEIS estimates that the licensing of the project would produce an annual benefit of $9 million.

The Holtwood project located in the Lancaster and York counties in Pennsylvania is one of five hydroelectric sites on the lower Susquehanna River

American Rivers & NOAA now accepting proposals for river restoration grants

John Seebach — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:48:12 -0500

American Rivers seeks proposals for river restoration project grants as part of its partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Community-based Restoration Program. Program funding is provided through NOAA’s Open Rivers Initiative, which seeks to enable environmental and economic renewal in local communities through the removal of stream barriers.

This Partnership funds stream barrier removal projects that help restore riverine ecosystems, enhance public safety and community resilience, and have clear and identifiable benefits to diadromous fish populations. Diadromous fish migrate between freshwater and saltwater during their life cycle. Examples include alewife, American eel, American shad, blueback herring, salmon, steelhead, shortnose sturgeon and striped bass. Projects in the Northeast (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI), Mid-Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA, MD, DC), Northwest (WA, OR, ID), and California are eligible to apply. Projects located within the St. Lawrence/Great Lakes Basin are not eligible for funding in the December 2007 grant round.

Eligible applications will be evaluated based upon four priority criteria:

Ecological merits of the project,
Technical feasibility of the project,
Benefits provided to the local community, and
Financial clarity and strength of the application.

Grants are provided for three distinct project phases: Feasibility Analysis, Engineering Design and Construction. Average grants are $25,000 - $50,000. Successful applicants for one project phase will not be eligible to receive additional funding for that same project phase in future grant rounds. See the Funding Guidelines for additional details.

Applications are currently being accepted for the first cycle of fiscal year 2008 with a deadline of December 3, 2007. Applications for projects must be postmarked by the deadline for consideration in this funding cycle. Potential applicants should contact American Rivers to discuss potential projects prior to submitting an application. Applicants can expect notification about funding decisions in early March 2008.

Obtain the Application for Financial Assistance and Funding Guidelines on the American Rivers web site.