[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 60272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23875]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14541-000]


Western Minnesota Municipal Power Authority; Notice of 
Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting 
Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On July 30, 2013, Western Minnesota Municipal Power Authority filed 
an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of 
the Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of the 
Gregory County Pumped Storage Project to be located on Lake Francis 
Case on the Missouri River, near the township of Lucas, in Gregory, 
Charles Mix and Brule Counties, South Dakota. The sole purpose of a 
preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant the permit holder priority 
to file a license application during the permit term. A preliminary 
permit does not authorize the permit holder to perform any land-
disturbing activities or otherwise enter upon lands or waters owned by 
others without the owners' express permission.
    The proposed project would consist of the following: (1) A new 
earthen embankment (upper reservoir) having a total storage capacity of 
47,000 acre-feet with an operating elevation level of between 2,045 
feet msl and 2,080 feet msl; (2) a new 340-foot-long by 200-foot-wide 
by 100-foot-high concrete powerhouse containing eight new 100-megawatt 
(MW) turbine units for a total plant rating of 800 MW; (3) eight new 
20-foot by 36-foot trashracks with 3.75-inch-wide open bar spacing; (4) 
two new 10,000-foot-long, 32-foot-diameter reinforced concrete 
penstocks with a steel lining; (5) two new 120-foot-high, 40-foot-
diameter surge tanks connected to each penstock; (6) a new 320-foot-
long by 120-foot-wide by 60-foot-high release-intake structure 
containing emergency closing gates for penstock maintenance; (7) the 
existing Lake Francis Case (lower reservoir) with a storage capacity of 
5,494,000 acre-feet at normal maximum operation elevation of 1,355 feet 
msl; (8) a new 120-foot-long, 340-foot-wide tailrace from the 
powerhouse to Lake Francis Case; (9) a new substation on top of the 
powerhouse containing step-up transformers; (10) a new 21-mile-long, 
230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line extending from the project 
substation to the existing Lake Platte substation (the point of 
interconnection); and (11) appurtenant facilities. The estimated annual 
generation of the Gregory County Pumped Storage Project would be 3,000 
gigawatt-hours.
    Applicant Contact: Mr. Raymond J. Wahle, Missouri River Energy 
Services, 3724 W. Avera Drive, P.O. Box 88920, Sioux Falls, SD 57109; 
phone: (605) 330-6963.
    FERC Contact: Tyrone Williams; phone: (202) 502-6331.
    Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing 
applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file 
competing applications: 60 days from the issuance of this notice. 
Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements 
of 18 CFR 4.36.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file 
comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and competing 
applications using the Commission's eFiling system at 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 at 
[email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to: 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should include 
docket number P-14541-000.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the 
application, can be viewed or printed on the ``eLibrary'' link of 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. 
Enter the docket number (P-14541) in the docket number field to access 
the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: September 25, 2013.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-23875 Filed 9-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P