[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24591-24592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09700]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Guidance and Application for Hydroelectric Incentive Payments

AGENCY: Wind and Water Power Program, Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability of guidance and open application period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is publishing Guidance for 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 Section 242 program. The guidance 
describes the hydroelectric incentive payment requirements and explains 
the type of information that owners or authorized operators of 
qualified hydroelectric facilities can provide DOE when applying for 
hydroelectric incentive payments. This incentive is available for 
electric energy generated and sold for a specified 10-year period as 
authorized under section 242 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. In 
Congressional appropriations for Federal fiscal year 2016, DOE received 
funds to support this hydroelectric incentive program. At this time, 
DOE is only accepting applications from owners and authorized operators 
of qualified hydroelectric facilities for hydroelectricity generated 
and sold in calendar year 2015.

DATES: DOE is currently accepting applications from April 26, 2016 
through May 31, 2016 Applications must be sent to 
[email protected] by midnight EDT, May 31, 2016, or they will 
not be considered timely filed for calendar year 2015 incentive 
payments.

ADDRESSES: DOE's guidance is available at: http://energy.gov/eere/water/downloads/2014-electrical-production-epact-2005-section-242-hydroelectric-incentive. Written correspondence may be sent to the 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE-4W), by email at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Mr. Timothy Welch, Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy (EE-4W), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-7055, 
[email protected]. Electronic communications are recommended 
for correspondence and required for submission of application 
information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 
2005; Pub. L. 109-58), Congress established a new program to support 
the expansion of hydropower energy development at existing dams and 
impoundments through an incentive payment procedure. Under section 242 
of EPAct 2005, the Secretary of Energy is directed to provide incentive 
payments to the owner or authorized operator of qualified hydroelectric 
facilities for electric energy generated and sold by a qualified 
hydroelectric facility for a specified 10-year period (See 42 U.S.C. 
15881). The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 authorized funding 
for the Section 242 program for conventional hydropower under EPAct 
2005. In FY 2016 DOE allocated $3.5M for this purpose.
    DOE finalized its Guidance for the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
Section 242 program in December 2015. The final guidance is available 
at: http://energy.gov/eere/water/water-power-program. Each application 
will be reviewed based on the Guidance. DOE notes that applicants that 
received payments for calendar year 2014 and that are eligible for 
calendar year 2015 payments must still submit a full calendar year 2015 
application. As authorized under section 242 of EPACT 2005, and as 
explained in the Guidance, DOE also notes that it will only accept 
applications from qualified hydroelectric facilities that began 
operations at an existing dam or conduit during the inclusive period 
beginning October 1, 2005 and ending on September 30, 2015. Therefore, 
although DOE is accepting applications for full calendar year 2015 
production, the qualified hydroelectric facility must have begun 
operations starting October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2015 for DOE 
to consider the application.
    When submitting information to DOE for the Section 242 program, it 
is recommended that applicants carefully read and review the complete 
content of the Guidance for this process. When reviewing applications, 
DOE may corroborate the information provided with information that DOE 
finds through FERC e-filings, contact with power off-taker, and other 
due diligence measures carried out by reviewing

[[Page 24592]]

officials. DOE may require the applicant to conduct and submit an 
independent audit at its own expense, or DOE may conduct an audit to 
verify the number of kilowatt-hours claimed to have been generated and 
sold by the qualified hydroelectric facility and for which an incentive 
payment has been requested or made.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 21, 2016.
Roland Risser,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2016-09700 Filed 4-25-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P