[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 227 (Friday, November 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72697-72699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30375]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2558-029]


Central Vermont Public Service Corporation; Notice of License 
Application Amendment

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application amendment 
has been filed with the Commission and is available for public 
inspection. The

[[Page 72698]]

amendment became effective upon completion of the license transfer from 
Vermont Marble Power Division of Omya Inc., to Central Vermont Public 
Service Corporation on September 2, 2011.
    a. Application Type: License Application Amendment for a New Major 
License.
    b. Project No.: P-2558-029.
    c. Date Filed: August 1, 2011.
    d. Applicant: Central Vermont Public Service Corporation.
    e. Name of Project: Otter Creek Hydroelectric Project.
    f. Location: The existing project is located on Otter Creek in 
Addison and Rutland counties, Vermont. The project does not affect 
federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r) .
    h. Applicant Contact: Mike Scarzello, Generation Asset Manager, 
Central Vermont Public Service Corporation, 77 Grove Street, Rutland, 
VT 05701; Telephone: (802) 747-5207.
    i. FERC Contact: Aaron Liberty, Telephone (202) 502-6862, and email 
[email protected].
    j. The application amendment is not ready for environmental 
analysis at this time.
    k. Project Description: The existing Otter Creek Project consists 
of three developments with a combined installed capacity of 18.1 
megawatts (MW). The project produces an average annual generation of 
67,258 megawatt-hours. The energy from the project will be used to 
serve Central Vermont's retail customers.
    The Proctor development, located at river mile 64.2, consists of 
the following facilities: (1) An existing 13-foot-high, 128-foot-long 
dam with a 3-foot-high inflatable flashboard system; (2) an existing 
92-acre reservoir with a storage capacity of 275 acre-feet at a normal 
maximum water surface elevation of 469.5 feet above mean sea level 
(msl); (3) a gated-forebay intake structure approximately 14 feet deep 
by 115 feet long with a maximum width of 48 feet; (4) two intakes with 
two penstocks: a 9-foot-diameter, 460-foot-long, riveted steel penstock 
that decreases to 8 feet in diameter, and a 7-foot-diameter, 500-foot-
long, spiral welded steel penstock; (5) an original concrete and brick 
masonry powerhouse measuring 100 by 33 feet containing four vertical 
shaft turbines: three 750-kilowatt (kW) units and one 1,680-kW unit 
with a combined maximum hydraulic capacity of 565 cubic feet per second 
(cfs); (6) an additional steel structure measuring 28 by 48 feet 
attached to the original powerhouse containing one 3,000-kW vertical 
shaft unit with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 325 cfs; (7) generator 
leads; (8) a 0.48/4.16-kilovolt (kV) single phase transformer; (9) a 
0.48/46-kV step-up transformer; (10) three winding transformer banks; 
and (11) appurtenant facilities.
    The Beldens development, located at river mile 23, consists of the 
following facilities: (1) Two existing concrete dams on either side of 
a ledge/bedrock island with 2.5-foot-high wooden flashboards: a 15-
foot-high, 56-foot-long dam (west) and a 24-foot-high, 57-foot-long dam 
(east); (2) an existing 22-acre reservoir with a storage capacity of 
253 acre-feet at a normal maximum water surface elevation of 282.52 
feet msl; (3) two intakes equipped with trashracks: a 79-foot-long 
intake and a 35-foot-long intake with a 95-foot-long sluiceway; (4) a 
12-foot-diameter, 30-foot-long steel penstock that bifurcates into two 
10-foot-diameter sections, each leading to an original powerhouse; (5) 
a 12-foot-diameter, 45-foot-long concrete penstock that leads to a 
newer powerhouse; (6) an original concrete and masonry powerhouse 
measuring 40 by 44 feet containing a 800-kW vertical shaft unit and 
949-kW vertical shaft unit with a combined maximum hydraulic capacity 
of 650 cfs; (7) a second, newer concrete powerhouse measuring 40 by 75 
feet containing a 4,100-kW vertical shaft unit with a maximum hydraulic 
capacity of 1,350 cfs; (8) generator leads; (9) a 2.4/46-kV step-up 
transformer bank; and (10) appurtenant facilities.
    The Huntington Falls development, located at river mile 21, 
consists of: (1) An existing 31-foot-high, 187-foot-long concrete dam 
with a 2.5-foot-high inflatable flashboard system; (2) an existing 23-
acre reservoir with a storage capacity of 234 acre-feet at a normal 
maximum water surface elevation of 218.1 feet msl; (3) two intakes 
equipped with trashracks: a 40-foot-long intake and a 24-foot-long 
intake; (4) three penstocks: two 10-foot-diameter, 30-foot-long steel 
penstocks leading to an original powerhouse, and a 12-foot-diameter, 
75-foot-long concrete penstock leading to a newer powerhouse; (5) an 
original brick masonry powerhouse measuring 42 by 60 feet containing a 
600-kW vertical shaft unit and a 800-kW vertical shaft unit with a 
combined maximum hydraulic capacity of 660 cfs; (6) a second, newer 
powerhouse measuring 40 by 75 feet containing a 4,100-kW vertical shaft 
unit with a maximum hydraulic capacity of 1,350 cfs; (7) generator 
leads; (8) a 2.4/46-kV step-up transformer bank; and (9) appurtenant 
facilities.
    Currently, the Proctor development operates in a modified run-of-
river mode, with infrequent diversions at the direction of the 
Independent System Operator--New England, while the Beldens and 
Huntington Falls developments operate in a run-of-river mode. The 
Proctor development currently provides a continuous downstream minimum 
flow of 100 cfs or inflow to the development, whichever is less, with 
minimum flows from April through mid-June equal to at least 50 percent 
of project inflows. A bypassed reach minimum flow of 5 cfs is currently 
released at the Beldens development through an opening in the 
flashboards along the west dam. A bypassed reach minimum flow of 15 cfs 
is currently released at the Huntington Falls development via a minimum 
flow gate at the right abutment of the dam.
    Central Vermont proposes several physical changes to existing 
project facilities at the Proctor and Huntington Falls developments. At 
the Proctor development, Central Vermont proposes to: (1) Realign the 
intake headworks, such that the existing structure and components 
(sluice gate, trashracks, and/or headgates) will be modified with the 
entrance widened and deepened to reduce significant head losses through 
the intake structure; (2) install a new runner at Unit 1; replace Units 
2-4 with new turbine/generators; and install new electrical switchgear, 
breakers, controls, and relays, resulting in an increase in nameplate 
capacity from 6,930 kW to a preliminary estimated design of 9,240 kW, 
and an increase in the existing hydraulic capacity from 890 cfs to 
approximately 1,150 cfs; and (3) improve station access by constructing 
a permanent bridge to enable the Proctor development capacity 
improvements.
    At the Huntington Falls development, Central Vermont proposes to: 
(1) Upgrade Units 1 and 2, resulting in an increase in nameplate 
capacity from 5,500 kW to a preliminary estimated design of 6,725 kW, 
and an increase in the existing hydraulic capacity from 2,010 cfs to 
approximately 2,250 cfs; and install new switchgear, breakers, control 
and relays and (2) replace the current Unit 3 trashrack configuration 
of 2-inch, clear spaced bars at a 45 degree angle to river flow with 
3.5-inch-spaced racks, at a 90 degree angle to river flow, resulting in 
clear spacing of 3 inches.
    Central Vermont proposes operational changes to existing project 
operations at the Proctor development. Central Vermont proposes to 
eliminate the existing 4-foot drawdown of the reservoir surface, with 
the exception of infrequent emergency operations and maintenance, and 
to implement a cycling operation that would utilize a 1.5-foot 
drawdown/refill cycle between

[[Page 72699]]

June 16 and March 31, provided that the existing downstream minimum 
flow requirement during refill of at least 100 cfs is maintained. 
Central Vermont also proposes to refrain from conducting reservoir 
drawdowns during the period of April 1 to June 15, when Proctor will be 
operating in a run-of-river mode. In addition, peaking constraints 
would be utilized under normal operations of no greater than a 4.5:1 
ratio between maximum and minimum flow in a 24-hour period.
    Central Vermont is also proposing to alter the existing bypassed 
reach minimum flows at the Proctor and Beldens developments. At the 
Proctor development, Central Vermont is proposing to provide a 
continuous bypassed reach minimum flow of 54 cfs, and to provide the 
remainder of the existing 100-cfs minimum tailrace flow through the 
powerhouse. At the Beldens development, Central Vermont is proposing to 
provide a 10-cfs minimum flow in both the east and west channels.
    Central Vermont is also proposing the following environmental 
measures: (1) Improve and enhance the existing take-out for the canoe 
portage around the Beldens dam; (2) formalize and enhance the tailwater 
access site at the Proctor development; and (3) provide expanded public 
recreational use of the site adjacent to the Proctor development's 
penstock that would provide viewing opportunities with interpretive 
signage for public education about the historic Vermont Marble 
buildings and local cultural history.
    l. Locations of the Application Amendment: A copy of the 
application amendment 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. A 
copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address 
in item h above.
    You may 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.
    m. Procedural Schedule: The application amendment will be processed 
according to the following revised Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions 
to the schedule may be made as appropriate.

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               Milestone                           Target date
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Issuance of additional information       December 2011.
 request.
Filing of requested additional           March 2012.
 information.
Re-issue Notice of Ready for             March 2012.
 Environmental Analysis.
Issue single EA........................  September 2012.
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    n. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.

    Dated: November 18, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-30375 Filed 11-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P