[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13272-13274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5125]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No.: P-2232-522]


Duke Energy Carolinas LLC; Notice of Site Visits

March 15, 2007.
    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application was filed 
with Commission and is available for public inspection:
    a. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: P-2232-522.
    c. Dates filed: August 29, 2006.
    d. Applicant: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC.
    e. Name of Project: Catawba-Wateree Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Locations: The Catawba-Wateree Project is located on the Catawba 
River in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, 
McDowell, and Mecklenburg counties, North Carolina, and on the Catawba 
and Wateree Rivers in the counties of Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, 
Lancaster, and York, South Carolina. There are no federal lands 
affected by this project.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contacts: Jeffrey G. Lineberger, Catawba-Wateree Hydro 
Relicensing Manager; and E. Mark Oakley, Catawba-Wateree Relicensing 
Project Manager, Duke Energy, Mail Code EC12Y, P.O. Box 1006, 
Charlotte, NC 28201-1006.
    i. FERC Contacts: Sean Murphy at (202) 502-6145 or 
[email protected].
    j. Site Visit: The Applicant and FERC staff will conduct a series 
of project site visits beginning at 8 a.m. on March 26, 27, 29, and 30, 
2007. All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are 
invited to attend. Anyone with questions about the site visits should 
contact the applicant.
    k. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this 
time.
    l. The existing Catawba-Wateree Project consists of eleven 
developments:
    1. The Bridgewater development consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) The Catawba dam consisting of: (a) A 1,650-foot-long, 
125-foot-high earth embankment; (b) a 305-foot-long, 120-foot-high 
concrete gravity ogee spillway; and (c) a 850-foot-long, 125-foot-high 
earth embankment; (2) the Paddy Creek dam consisting of: a 1,610-foot-
long, 165-foot-high earth embankment; (3) the Linville dam consisting 
of: a 1,325-foot-long, 160-foot-high earth embankment; (4) a 430-foot-
long uncontrolled low overflow weir spillway situated between Paddy 
Creek Dam and Linville Dam; (5) a 6,754 acre reservoir formed by 
Catawba, Paddy Creek, and Linville with a normal water surface 
elevation of 1,200 feet above mean-sea-level (msl); (6) a 900-foot-long 
concrete-lined intake tunnel; (7) a powerhouse containing two vertical 
Francis-type turbines directly connected to two generators, each rated 
at 10,000 kilowatts (kW), for a total installed capacity of 20.0 
megawatts (MW); and (8) other appurtenances.
    2. The Rhodhiss development consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) The Rhodhiss dam consisting of: (a) A 119.58-foot-long 
concrete gravity bulkhead; (b) a 800-foot-long, 72-foot-high concrete 
gravity ogee spillway; (c) a 122.08-foot-long concrete gravity bulkhead 
with an additional 8-foot-high floodwall; and (d) a 283.92-foot-long 
rolled fill earth embankment; (2) a 2,724 acre reservoir with a normal 
water surface elevation of 995.1 feet above msl; (4) a powerhouse 
integral to the dam, situated between the bulkhead on the left bank and 
the ogee spillway section, containing three vertical Francis-type 
turbines directly connected to three generators, two rated at 12,350 
kW, one rated at 8,500 kW for a total installed capacity of 28.4 MW; 
and (5) other appurtenances.
    3. The Oxford development consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) The Oxford dam consisting of: (a) A 74.75-foot-long 
soil nail wall; (b) a 193-foot-long emergency spillway; (c) a 550-foot-
long gated concrete gravity spillway; (d) a 112-foot-long embankment 
wall situated above the powerhouse; and (e) a 429.25-foot-long earth 
embankment; (2) a 4,072 acre reservoir with a normal water surface 
elevation of 935 feet above msl; (4) a powerhouse integral to the dam, 
situated between the gated spillway and the earth embankment, 
containing two vertical Francis-type turbines directly connected to two 
generators, each rated at 18,000 kW for a total installed capacity of 
35.7 MW; and (5) other appurtenances.
    4. The Lookout Shoals development consists of the following 
existing facilities: (1) The Lookout Shoals dam consisting of: (a) A 
282.08-foot-long concrete gravity bulkhead section; (b) a 933-foot-long 
uncontrolled concrete gravity ogee spillway; (c) a 65-foot-long gravity 
bulkhead section; and (d) a 1,287-foot-long, 88-foot-high earth 
embankment; (2) a 1,155 acre reservoir with a normal water surface 
elevation of 838.1 feet above msl; (3) a powerhouse integral to the 
dam, situated between the bulkhead on the left bank and the ogee 
spillway, containing three main vertical Francis-type turbines and two 
smaller vertical Francis-type turbines directly connected to five 
generators, three main generators rated at 8,970 kW, and two smaller 
rated at 450 kW for a total installed capacity of 25.7 MW; and (4) 
other appurtenances.
    5. The Cowans Ford development consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) The Cowans Ford dam consisting of: (a) A 3,535-foot-
long embankment; (b) a 209.5-foot-long gravity bulkhead; (c) a 465-
foot-long concrete ogee spillway with eleven Taintor gates, each 35-
feet-wide by 25-feet-high; (d) a 276-foot-long bulkhead; and (e) a 
3,924-foot-long earth embankment; (2) a 3,134-foot-long saddle dam 
(Hicks Crossroads); (3) a 32,339 acre reservoir with a normal water 
surface elevation of 760 feet above msl; (4) a powerhouse integral to 
the dam, situated between the spillway and the bulkhead near the right 
embankment, containing four vertical Kaplan-type turbines directly 
connected to four generators rated at 83,125 kW for a total installed 
capacity of 332.5 MW; and (5) other appurtenances.
    6. The Mountain Island development consists of the following 
existing facilities: (1) The Mountain Island dam consisting of: (a) A 
997-foot-long, 97-foot-high uncontrolled concrete gravity ogee 
spillway; (b) a 259-foot-long bulkhead on the left side of the 
powerhouse; (c) a 200-foot-long bulkhead on the right side of the 
powerhouse; (d) a 75-foot-long concrete core wall; and (e) a 670-foot-
long, 140-

[[Page 13273]]

foot-high earth embankment; (2) a 3,117 acre reservoir with a normal 
water surface elevation of 647.5 feet above msl; (3) a powerhouse 
integral to the dam, situated between the two bulkheads, containing 
four vertical Francis-type turbines directly connected to four 
generators rated at 15,000 kW for a total installed capacity of 55.1 
MW; and (4) other appurtenances.
    7. The Wylie development consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) The Wylie dam consisting of: (a) A 234-foot-long 
bulkhead; (b) a 790.92-foot-long ogee spillway section that contains 2 
controlled sections with a total of eleven Stoney gates, each 45-feet-
wide by 30-feet-high, separated by an uncontrolled section with no 
gates; (c) a 400.92-foot-long bulkhead; and (d) a 1,595-foot-long earth 
embankment; (2) a 12,177 acre reservoir with a normal water surface 
elevation of 569.4 feet above msl; (3) a powerhouse integral to the 
dam, situated between the bulkhead and the spillway near the left bank, 
containing four vertical Francis-type turbines directly connected to 
four generators rated at 18,000 kW for a total installed capacity of 69 
MW; and (4) other appurtenances.
    8. The Fishing Creek development consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) The Fishing Creek dam consisting of: (a) A 114-foot-
long, 97-foot-high uncontrolled concrete ogee spillway; (b) a 1,210-
foot-long concrete gravity, ogee spillway with twenty-two Stoney gates, 
each 45-feet-wide by 25-feet-high; and (c) a 214-foot-long concrete 
gravity bulkhead structure; (2) a 3,431 acre reservoir with a normal 
water surface elevation of 417.2 feet above msl; (3) a powerhouse 
integral to the dam, situated between the gated spillway and the 
bulkhead structure near the right bank, containing five vertical 
Francis-type turbines directly connected to five generators two rated 
at 10,530 kW and three rated at 9,450 kW for a total installed capacity 
of 48.1 MW; and (4) other appurtenances.
    9. The Great Falls-Dearborn development consists of the following 
existing facilities: (1) The Great Falls diversion dam consisting of a 
1,559-foot-long concrete section; (2) the Dearborn dam consisting of: 
(a) A 160-foot-long, 103-foot-high concrete embankment; (b) a 150-foot-
long, 103-foot-high intake and bulkhead section; and (c) a 75-foot-
long, 103-foot-high bulkhead section; (3) the Great Falls dam 
consisting of: (a) a 675-foot-long 103-foot-high concrete embankment 
situated in front of the Great Falls powerhouse (and joined to the 
Dearborn dam embankment); and (b) a 250-foot-long intake section 
(within the embankment); (4) the Great Falls bypassed spillway and 
headworks section consisting of: (a) a 446.7-foot-long short concrete 
bypassed reach uncontrolled spillway with a gated trashway (main 
spillway); (b) a 583.5-foot-long concrete headworks uncontrolled 
spillway with 4-foot-high flashboards (canal spillway); and (c) a 262-
foot-long concrete headworks section situated perpendicular to the main 
spillway and the canal spillway, containing ten opening, each 16-feet-
wide; (5) a 353 acre reservoir with a normal water surface elevation of 
355.8 feet above msl; (6) two powerhouses separated by a retaining 
wall, consisting of: (a) Great Falls powerhouse: containing eight 
horizontal Francis-type turbines directly connected to eight generators 
rated at 3,000 kW for an installed capacity of 24.0 MW, and (b) 
Dearborn powerhouse: containing three vertical Francis-type turbines 
directly connected to three generators rated at 15,000 kW for an 
installed capacity of 42.0 MW, for a total installed capacity of 66.0 
MW; and (7) other appurtenances.
    10. The Rocky Creek-Cedar Creek development consists of the 
following existing facilities: (1) A U-shaped concrete gravity overflow 
spillway with (a) A 130-foot-long section (on the east side) that forms 
a forebay canal to the Cedar Creek powerhouse and contains two Stoney 
gate, each 45-feet-wide by 25-feet-high; (b) a 1,025-foot-long, 69-
foot-high concrete gravity overflow spillway; and (c) a 213-foot-long 
section (on the west side) that forms the upper end of the forebay 
canal for the Rocky Creek powerhouse; (2) a 450-foot-long concrete 
gravity bulkhead section that completes the lower end of the Rocky 
Creek forebay canal; (3) a 748 acre reservoir with a normal water 
surface elevation of 284.4 feet above msl; (4) two powerhouses 
consisting of: (a) Cedar Creek powerhouse (on the east): containing 
three vertical Francis-type turbines directly connected to three 
generators, one rated at 15,000 kW, and two rated at 18,000 kW for an 
installed capacity of 43.0 MW; and (b) Rocky Creek powerhouse (on the 
west): containing eight horizontal twin-runner Francis-type turbines 
directly connected to eight generators, six rated at 3,000 kW and two 
rated at 4,500 kW for an installed capacity of 25.8 MW, for a total 
installed capacity of 68.8 MW; and (5) other appurtenances.
    11. The Wateree development consists of the following existing 
facilities: (1) The Wateree dam consisting of: (a) A 1,450 foot-long 
uncontrolled concrete gravity ogee spillway; and (b) a 1,370-foot-long 
earth embankment; (2) a 13,025 acre reservoir with a normal water 
surface elevation of 225.5 feet above msl; (3) a powerhouse integral to 
the dam, situated between the spillway and the earth embankment, 
containing five vertical Francis-type turbines directly connected to 
five generators, two rated at 17,100 kW and three rated at 18,050 kW 
for a total installed capacity of 82.0 MW; and (4) other appurtenances.
    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.
    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.
    n. Scoping Process: The Commission intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the project in accordance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act. The EIS will consider both site-
specific and cumulative environmental impacts and reasonable 
alternatives to the proposed action.

Scoping Meetings

    FERC staff has previously noticed a series of scoping meetings, one 
agency scoping meeting and three public meetings. The agency scoping 
meeting, Wednesday March 28, 2007, in Rock Hill NC, will focus on 
resource agency and non-governmental organization (NGO) concerns. The 
public scoping meetings on March 26, 27, 28, and 29, 2007 will provide 
a means for public input. All interested individuals, organizations, 
and agencies are invited to attend one or more of the meetings, and to 
assist the staff in identifying the scope of the environmental issues 
that should be analyzed in the EIS.
    Copies of the SD1 outlining the subject areas to be addressed in 
the EIS were distributed to the parties on the Commission's mailing 
list. Copies of the SD1 will be available at the scoping meeting or may 
be viewed on the Web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' 
link.

[[Page 13274]]

Site Visits

     All site visits are scheduled to start at 8 a.m. sharp. Contact 
the applicant for directions.

Monday, March 26, 2007.
Meeting Location: The Bridgewater Development Powerhouse.
Reservoirs scheduled to visit: Lake James, Lake Rhodhiss and one 
location on Lake Hickory.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007.
Meeting Location: The Oxford Development Powerhouse.
Reservoirs scheduled to visit: Lake Hickory, Lookout Shoals Lake, and 
Lake Norman.

Thursday, March 28, 2007.
Meeting Location: Fishing Creek Development Powerhouse.
Reservoirs scheduled to visit: Greatfalls Reservoir and Lake Wateree.
Friday, March 29, 2007.
Meeting Location: Fishing Creek Development Powerhouse.
Reservoirs scheduled to visit: Fishing Creek Lake and Lake Wylie.

Objectives

    At the site visits, the staff will be concentrating on viewing 
project aspects that are difficult to understand without viewing the 
area, or have been raised as significant issues.

Procedures

    People attending the site visits need to supply their own 
transportation (carpooling is recommended), wear clothes suitable for 
being outside in the elements, wear closed toed shoes, bring or be 
prepared to buy lunch as a meal will not be provided. Please note that 
the distances are long and time is short, if you are late for the start 
time you risk being left behind.

Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-5125 Filed 3-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P