[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48380-48382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-4471]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2146-111, Project No. 82 and Project No. 618]


Alabama Power Company; Notice of Application Tendered for Filing 
With the Commission, and Establishing Procedural Schedule for 
Relicensing and a Deadline for Submission of Final Amendments

August 11, 2005.
    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.: P-2146-111.
    c. Date Filed: July 28, 2005.
    d. Applicant: Alabama Power Company.
    e. Name of Project: Coosa River Hydroelectric Project, which 
includes the Weiss, H. Neely Henry, Logan Martin, Lay and Bouldin 
developments, the Mitchell Hydroelectric Project (P-82), and the Jordan 
Hydroelectric Project (P-618). Alabama Power Company has requested that 
Project Nos. 2146, 82, and 618 be consolidated into one project. We 
intend to process these three projects under Project No. 2146-111.
    f. Location: On the Coosa River, in the states of Alabama and 
Georgia. The Logan Martin development affects less than an acre of 
federal lands, the Lay development affects 133.5 acres of federal 
lands, the Mitchell Project affects 127.3 acres of federal lands, and 
the Jordan Project affects 10.1 acres of federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Jerry L. Stewart, Senior Vice President 
and Senior Production Officer, Alabama Power Company, 600 North 18th 
Street, P.O. Box 2641, Birmingham, AL 35291-8180
    i. FERC Contact: Janet Hutzel, (202) 502-8675 or 
[email protected].
    j. Cooperating agencies: We are asking Federal, state, local, and 
tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect 
to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the preparation of the 
environmental document. Agencies who would like to request cooperating 
status should follow the instructions for filing such requests 
described in item k below.
    k. Deadline for request for cooperating agency status: September 
26, 2005.
    All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with: 
Magalie R. Salas, 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.
    Requests for cooperating agency status may be filed electronically 
via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filings. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions 
on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) under the ``e-
Filing'' link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing.
    l. This application has not been accepted for filing. We are not 
soliciting motions to intervene, protests, or final terms and 
conditions at this time.
    m. Description of Project: The proposed Coosa River Project would 
consist of seven developments. The Weiss, Neely Henry, and Logan Martin 
developments would operate in peaking mode. The Lay, Mitchell, Jordan, 
and Bouldin developments would operate in run-of-river mode. The total 
capacity for all developments is 960.9 MW, generating about 2,964,054 
MWh of energy annually. The project works would include the following:

Weiss Development

    The Weiss development consists of: (1) A total of 30,798 feet of 
water retaining structures which includes a diversion dam and gated 
spillway, powerhouse about 3.5 miles from the spillway, and earth 
embankments consisting of: (a) A 7,000-foot-long power canal which 
carries water from the main reservoir to the powerhouse forebay, (b) a 
1,300 foot-long tailrace canal which carries water from the tailrace to 
the Coosa River, (c) 1.7-mile-long east and 1.8-mile-long west 
earthfill embankments extending from the powerhouse, (d) 1.35-mile-long 
east and 1.0-mile-long west earth embankments extending from the 
spillway, (e) three freeboard dikes, (f) a 120-foot-long and 140-foot-
long concrete gravity non-overflow structure to the left and right of 
the powerhouse, (g) a retaining wall to the left of the spillway, a 
non-overflow structure to the right of the spillway, (h) a concrete 
gated spillway equipped with five 40-foot-wide by 38-foot-high Taintor 
gates and one 16-foot-wide by 22-foot-high Taintor gate which serves as 
a trash gate, (i) a second trash gate of same dimension located to the 
right of the powerhouse, and (j) the project configuration resulting in 
a 20-mile-long bypassed reach of the Coosa River; (2) a 52-mile-long, 
30,200-acre reservoir at normal pool elevation 564 feet m.s.l., and 
total storage capacity of 704,404 acre-ft at maximum elevation 574 feet 
m.s.l.; (3) a 256-foot-long concrete powerhouse, housing three 39,100 
horse power vertical fixed-blade turbines and generating units, each 
rated at 29.5 MW, a total rated capacity of 87.75 MW, maximum hydraulic 
capacity of 8,400 cfs, and total hydraulic capacity of 25,200 cfs. 
Estimated generation is 215,500 MWh.; (4) trashracks located at the 
turbine intakes with 6-inch bar spacing; (5) a substation; and (6) 
other appurtenances. Two 115-kilovolt transmission lines, which are not 
part of the project, connect the substation to Alabama Power's 
transmission system.

H. Neely Henry Development

    The H. Neely Henry development consists of: (1) A total of 4,705 
feet of water retaining structures which includes a concrete dam and 
two earthen embankment sections consisting of: (a) A 305-foot-long 
spillway equipped with six 40-foot-wide by 29-foot-high Taintor gates, 
(b) a 300-foot-long intake section, (c) a 120-foot-long non-overflow 
bulk head section at the east end of the spillway, and (d) a 133-foot-
long non-overflow section at the west end of the spillway; (2) a 78-
mile-long, 11,235-acre reservoir at normal pool elevation 508 feet 
m.s.l., and total storage capacity of 30,640 acre-ft at normal 
elevation 508 feet m.s.l.; (3) a 300-foot-long concrete powerhouse, 
housing three 33,500 horse power

[[Page 48381]]

vertical propeller turbines and generating units, each rated at 24.3 
MW, a total rated capacity of 72.9 MW, maximum hydraulic capacity of 
8,900 cfs, and total hydraulic capacity of 26,700 cfs. The estimated 
generation is 210,700 MWh.; (4) trashracks located at the turbine 
intakes with 6-inch bar spacing; (5) a substation; and (6) other 
appurtenances. Two 115-kilovolt transmission lines, which are not part 
of the project, connect the substation to Alabama Power's transmission 
system.

Logan Martin Development

    The Logan Martin development consists of: (1) A total of 6,192 feet 
of water retaining structures which includes a 100-foot-high concrete 
dam and gated spillway, powerhouse and earthen embankment section 
consisting of: (a) A 327-foot-long concrete spillway equipped with six 
40-foot-wide by 38-foot-high Taintor gates, and one 17.5-foot-wide by 
21-foot-high vertical trash gate, (b) a 4,650-foot-long east earth 
embankment, (c) a 850-foot-long west earth embankment, (d) a 120-foot-
long concrete powerhouse intake; (2) a 48.5-mile-long, 15,263-acre 
reservoir at normal pool elevation 465 feet m.s.l., and total storage 
capacity of 273,500 acre-ft at normal elevation 465 feet m.s.l.; (3) a 
295-foot-long concrete powerhouse, housing three 59,000 horse power 
vertical propeller turbines and generating units, each rated at 42.75 
MW, a total rated capacity of 128.25 MW, maximum hydraulic capacity of 
11,000 cfs, and total hydraulic capacity of 33,000 cfs. The estimated 
generation is 400,200 MWh; (4) trashracks located at the turbine 
intakes with 6-inch bar spacing; (5) a substation; and (6) other 
appurtenances. Four 115-kilovolt transmission lines, which are not part 
of the project, connect the substation to Alabama Power's transmission 
system.

Lay Development

    The Lay development consists of: (1) A total of 2,120 feet of water 
retaining structures which includes a concrete dam and gated spillway, 
integrated powerhouse, and an earthen embankment section consisting of: 
(a) A 194-foot-long concrete bulkhead, (b) a 304-foot-long concrete 
intake section, (c) a 930-foot-long gated concrete spillway section 
equipped with twenty-six 30-foot-wide by 17-foot-high radial lift 
gates, (d) a 180-foot-long concrete bulkhead, and (e) a 512-foot-long 
earth embankment; (2) a 48.2-mile-long, 12,000-acre reservoir at normal 
pool elevation 465 feet m.s.l.; (3) a 376-foot-long concrete 
powerhouse, housing six 40,000 horse power vertical turbines and 
generating units, each rated at 29.5 MW, a total rated capacity of 177 
MW, maximum hydraulic capacity of 5,100 cfs, and total hydraulic 
capacity of 30,600 cfs. The estimated generation is 639,445 MWh; (4) a 
total of 144 trashracks located at the turbine intakes with 6-inch bar 
spacing; (5) a substation and (6) other appurtenances. Four 115-
kilovolt transmission lines, which are not part of the project, connect 
the substation to Alabama Power's transmission system.

Mitchell Development

    The Mitchell development consists of: (1) A total of 1,264 feet of 
water retaining structures which includes a concrete dam and gated 
spillway, and two powerhouses consisting of: (a) A 964-foot-long gated 
concrete spillway section equipped with twenty-three 30-foot-wide by 
15-foot-high timber faced radial lift gates, and three 30-foot-wide by 
25-foot-high steel faced radial gates; (2) a 14-mile-long 5,850-acre 
reservoir at normal pool elevation 312 feet m.s.l.; (3) two powerhouses 
which includes; (a) The original 449-foot-long concrete powerhouse, 
housing one 29,000 horse power vertical turbine and generating unit, 
rated at 20 MW, maximum hydraulic capacity of 4,788 cfs, and b) a new 
300-foot-long concrete powerhouse housing three 69,000 horse power 
vertical turbines and generating units, rated at 50 MW each, a total 
rated capacity of 150 MW, maximum hydraulic capacity of 10,454 cfs 
each, and total hydraulic capacity of 31,362 cfs. The total rated 
capacity for both project powerhouses is 170 MW, and total estimated 
generation is 527,666 MWh; (4) a total of 124 trashracks located at the 
turbine intakes with 6-inch bar spacing; (5) a substation; and (6) 
other appurtenances. Four 115-kilovolt transmission lines, which are 
not part of the project, connect the substation to Alabama Power's 
transmission system.

Jordan Development

    The Jordan development consists of: (1) A total of 2,066 feet of 
water retaining structures which includes a 125-foot-high concrete dam 
and gated spillway, and integrated powerhouse consisting of: (a) A 75-
foot-long non-overflow concrete bulkhead, (b) a 246-foot-long concrete 
intake section, (c) a 1330-foot-long gated concrete spillway equipped 
with eighteen 34-foot-wide by 8-foot-high radial lift gates, and 
seventeen 30-foot-wide by 18-foot-high vertical lift gates, and (d) a 
177-foot-long non-overflow concrete bulkhead; (2) an 18-mile-long, 
5,880-acre reservoir at normal pool elevation 252 feet m.s.l.; (3) a 
300-foot-long concrete powerhouse, housing four 36,000 horse power 
vertical turbines and generating units, each rated at 25 MW, a total 
rated capacity of 100 MW, maximum hydraulic capacity of 4,655 cfs each, 
and total hydraulic capacity of 18,660 cfs. The estimated generation is 
148,543 MWh; (4) four trashracks located at the turbine intakes with 4-
inch bar spacing; (5) a substation; and (6) other appurtenances. Seven 
115-kilovolt transmission lines connect the substation to Alabama 
Power's transmission system.

Bouldin Development

    The Bouldin development consists of: (1) A total of 9,428 feet of 
water retaining structures which includes a 210-foot-high concrete dam, 
a powerhouse integrated with the project intake, and two earthen 
embankments consisting of: (a) A 2,200-foot-long earth embankment left 
of the intake, (b) a 228-foot-long concrete intake section equipped 
with three 40-foot-wide by 35.5-foot-high Taintor gates, and (c) a 
7,000-foot-long earth embankment right of the intake; (2) a 3-mile-
long, 920-acre intake canal at normal pool elevation 252 feet m.s.l.; 
(3) a 228-foot-long concrete powerhouse, housing three 103,600 horse 
power propeller-type turbines and generating units, each rated at 75 
MW, a total rated capacity of 225 MW, maximum hydraulic capacity of 
9,333 cfs each, and total hydraulic capacity of 27,999 cfs. The 
estimated generation is 822,000 MWh; (4) sixty-three trashracks located 
at the turbine intakes with 6-inch bar spacing; (5) a substation; and 
(6) other appurtenances. Four 115-kilovolt transmission lines, which 
are not part of the project, connect the substation to Alabama Power's 
transmission system.
    n. 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.
    You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via e-mail of new filings and 
issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, 
contact FERC Online Support.

[[Page 48382]]

    o. Procedural schedule and final amendments: At this time we do not 
anticipate the need for preparing a draft environmental assessment 
(EA). Recipients will have 60 days to provide the Commission with any 
written comments on the EA. All comments filed with the Commission will 
be considered in the Order taking final action on the license 
applications. However, should substantive comments requiring re-
analysis be received on the EA document, we would consider preparing a 
subsequent EA document. The application will be processed according to 
the following Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule will 
be made as appropriate.

Issue Acceptance letter or Deficiency Letter and request Additional 
Information, if needed--September 2005.
Notice soliciting final terms and conditions--December 2005.
Notice of the Availability of the EA--July 2006.
Ready for Commission's decision on the application--November 2006.
    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.

Linda Mitry,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-4471 Filed 8-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P