[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35299-35300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12407]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 15024-000]


Pumped Hydro Storage LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit 
Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To 
Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On March 12, 2020, the Pumped Hydro Storage LLC, filed an 
application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the 
Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of Big 
Canyon Pumped Storage Project \1\ to be located about 23 miles west of 
Tuba City, Arizona. 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.
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    \1\ In its application, Pumped Hydro Storage named the project 
the Navajo Nation Big Canyon Pumped Storage Project. We note that 
the proposed project is not in any way affiliated with the Navajo 
Nation and the Navajo Nation has not had any role in Pumped Hydro 
Storage's pursuit of this project. To avoid any confusion as to the 
identity of the project proponent, we have omitted ``Navajo Nation'' 
from the project name.
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    The proposed project would be located entirely on Navajo Nation 
land and consist of the following new facilities: (1) A 450-foot-long, 
200-foot-high concrete arch dam (Upper West Dam), a 1,000-foot-long, 
150-foot-high earth filled dam (Middle Dam), and a 10,000-foot-long, 
200-foot-high concrete arch dam (Upper East Dam), each of which would 
impound three separate upper reservoirs with a combine surface area of 
400 acres and a total storage capacity of 29,000 acre-feet at a normal 
maximum operating elevation of 5,390 feet average mean sea level (msl); 
(2) a 600-foot-long, 400-foot-high concrete arch dam (Lower Dam) that 
would impound a lower reservoir with a surface area of 260 acres and a 
total storage capacity of 44,000 acre-feet at a normal maximum 
operating elevation of 3,790 feet msl; (3) three 10,000-foot-long, 30-
foot-diameter reinforced concrete penstocks; (4) a 1,100-foot-long, 
160-foot-wide, 140-foot-high reinforced concrete powerhouse housing 
nine 400-kilowatt pump-turbine generators; (5) a 1,000-foot-long, 120-
foot-wide, 40-foot-high reinforced concrete tailrace; (6) three water 
supply wells with a capacity of 700 horsepower each and a 1,800-foot-
long, 36-inch-diameter well water supply pipeline; (7) two new double 
circuit 500-kilovolt (kV) electric transmission lines that connect the 
project switchyard to the existing 500-kV and 345-kV transmission lines 
located 14 miles east of the proposed project; and (8) appurtenant 
facilities. The estimated annual power generation at the Navajo Nation 
Big Canyon Pumped Storage Project would be 7,900 Gigawatt-hours.
    Applicant Contact: Mr. Steve Irwin, Manager, Pumped Hydro Storage 
LLC. 6514 S 41st Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85041 [email protected].
    FERC Contact: Ousmane Sidibe; Phone: (202) 502-6245.
    Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing 
applications (without notices of intent), or notices of

[[Page 35300]]

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-15024-000.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the 
application, can be viewed or printed on the eLibrary link of 
Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. 
Enter the docket number (P-15024) in the docket number field to access 
the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: June 2, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-12407 Filed 6-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P