[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26343-26345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10619]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 405-106]


Exelon Generation Company, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted 
for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for 
Environmental Analysis, Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, 
Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary Fishway 
Prescriptions, and Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

    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.: 405-106
    c. Date Filed: August 31, 2012
    d. Applicant: Exelon Generation Company, LLC
    e. Name of Project: Conowingo Hydroelectric Project
    f. Location: On the Susquehanna River, in Harford and Cecil 
Counties, Maryland and Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania. The 
project does not occupy any federal lands.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r)
    h. Applicant Contact: Colleen Hicks, Manager, Regulatory and 
Licensing, Hydro, Exelon Power, 300 Exelon Way, Kennett Square, PA 
19348, at (610) 765-6791 or email at [email protected] and 
Kathleen Barr[ograve]n, Vice President, Federal Regulatory Affairs and 
Wholesale Market Policy, Exelon Corporation, 101 Constitution Avenue, 
Washington, DC 20001, at (202) 347-7500 or email at 
[email protected].
    i. FERC Contact: Emily Carter, (202) 502-6512 or 
[email protected].
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, 
recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary 
fishway prescriptions is September 30, 2013; reply comments are due 
November 14, 2013.
    Motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations, 
preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions 
may be filed electronically via the Internet. See 18 CFR 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site 
http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit 
brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, 
using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the 
end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, 
documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and 
seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, 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.
    k. This application has been accepted and is ready for 
environmental analysis at this time.
    l. The existing Conowingo Project consists of a concrete gravity 
dam with a maximum height of approximately 94 feet. The dam consists of 
a 1,225-foot-long, non-overflow gravity section, a 2,385-foot-long 
ogee-shaped spillway section, a 950-foot-long intake-powerhouse 
section, and a 100-foot-long non-overflow gravity section. The spillway 
consists of a 2,250-foot-long section with a crest elevation of 86.0 
feet, and a 135-foot-long section with a crest elevation of 98.5 
feet.\1\ The

[[Page 26344]]

spillway is fitted with 50 Stoney-type crest gates and two regulating 
gates. Each Stoney crest gate is 22.5 feet high by 38 feet wide and has 
a discharge capacity of 16,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) at a 
reservoir elevation of 109.2 feet. The two regulating gates are 10 feet 
high by 38 feet wide and have a discharge capacity of 4,000 cfs per 
gate at a reservoir elevation of 109.2 feet.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ All elevations are referenced to National Geodetic Vertical 
Datum (NGVD) 1929.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Conowingo dam impounds the Susquehanna River, forming Conowingo 
reservoir (Conowingo pond) that extends 14 miles upstream from the dam. 
Total storage in the 9,000-acre reservoir is approximately 310,000 
acre-feet, and total useable storage is about 71,000 acre-feet at the 
normal full pool elevation of 109.2 feet. The elevation of the normal 
river surface below the dam is approximately 20.5 feet. The impoundment 
provides approximately 89 feet of gross head for power generation 
purposes.
    The power plant is integral with the dam and is composed of 13 
turbine-generator units, draft tubes, and transformer bays. The first 
seven turbine-generating units (1-7) are completely enclosed within the 
powerhouse, and the last four units (8-11) are located outside. The 
hydraulic equipment for units 1-7 consists of Francis-type single 
runner hydraulic turbines. The hydraulic equipment for units 8-11 
consists of four mixed-flow Kaplan-type hydraulic turbines. Units 1, 3, 
4, 6 and 7 have 47.7-megawatt (MW) generators; Units 2 and 5 have 36.0-
MW generators; and Units 8-11 have 65.6-MW generators. Additionally, 
two house turbines provide station service and ``black-start'' 
capability with each unit having a 1.6-MW generator. Water flowing 
through the turbines is discharged via the draft tubes into the 
tailrace immediately downstream of the dam.
    Electricity generated at the project is transmitted by two 
individual 220-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines extending from the 
project substation to East Nottingham.
    The Conowingo Project has an authorized nameplate generating 
capacity of 573 MW and generates an average of 1,836,125 megawatt hours 
annually. Exelon is not proposing any new or upgraded facilities or 
structural changes to the project at this time. Exelon is proposing to 
modify the project boundary in the vicinity of upper Broad Creek and 
downstream of the Conowingo dam. This modification will remove lands 
from upper Broad Creek, as well as downstream of Rowland Island. 
Originally included in the construction plans of the project, Exelon 
states these lands are no longer necessary for project operation. In 
addition, Exelon has engaged interested stakeholders to participate in 
the development of a comprehensive settlement agreement based on 
collaborative negotiation of specific terms and conditions for the new 
Conowingo license.
    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.
    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. Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene 
in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 
18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to 
take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments 
filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with 
the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any 
comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified comment date for the particular application.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST,'' ``MOTION TO INTERVENE,'' ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``PRELIMINARY FISHWAY PRESCRIPTIONS;'' (2) set forth in the heading the 
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to 
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone 
number of the person protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise 
comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All 
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, or prescriptions must 
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the 
application directly from the applicant. A copy of any protest or 
motion to intervene must be served upon each representative of the 
applicant specified in the particular application. A copy of all other 
filings in reference to this application must be accompanied by proof 
of service on all persons listed in the service list prepared by the 
Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 
385.2010.
    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.
    o. Procedural Schedule: The application will be processed according 
to the following Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule 
may be made as appropriate.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Milestone                           Target date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Filing of recommendations,            September 30, 2013.
 preliminary terms and conditions,
 and preliminary fishway
 prescriptions.
Reply comments due..................  November 14, 2013.
Commission issues draft EIS.........  March 29, 2014.
Comments on draft EIS...............  May 28, 2014.
Modified terms and conditions.......  July 27, 2014.
Commission issues Final EIS.........  October 25, 2014.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    p. 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.
    q. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of this notice of acceptance and ready for 
environmental analysis provided for in 5.22: (1) A copy of the water 
quality certification; (2) a copy of

[[Page 26345]]

the request for certification, including proof of the date on which the 
certifying agency received the request; or (3) evidence of waiver of 
water quality certification.

    Dated: April 29, 2013.
Kimberly D Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-10619 Filed 5-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P