[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 78016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25042]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 15294-000]


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

    On December 14, 2022, JT Mesa Hydro, 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 the to be located near the 
City of Raton in Colfax County, New Mexico. 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 one of two alternative 
configurations, the Throttle Alternative and the Closed-Loop 
Alternative.
    The Throttle Alternative would consist of the following facilities: 
(1) a new 109-acre upper reservoir with a storage capacity of 4,000 
acre-feet at a water surface elevation of 7,830 feet above mean sea 
level (msl); (2) the existing 110-acre Throttle Reservoir with a 
storage capacity of 4,000 acre-feet at a water surface elevation of 
6,783 feet msl; (3) a 500-foot-long, 80-foot-wide, 40-foot-high 
concrete/metal powerhouse with three 110-foot-long, 75-foot-diameter 
vertical shafts, each of which would house a 150-megawatt (MW) 
reversible pump-turbine and motor-generator, for a total generating 
capacity of 450 MW; (4) three alternative points of interconnection, 
each with its own transmission route: (a) a new 7-mile-long, 230-
kilovolt (kV) transmission line connecting to the existing Walsenburg-
Gladstone 230-kV transmission line; (b) a new 41-mile-long, 345-kV 
transmission line connecting to a substation that is planned in 
association with a proposed wind project and the Mora Line being 
developed by Ameren; or (c) a new 39-mile-long, 345-kV transmission 
line connecting to the Mora Substation north of Springer, which is part 
of the Mora Line project being developed by Ameren; and (5) appurtenant 
facilities.
    The Closed-Loop Alternative would consist of the following 
facilities: (1) a new 100-acre upper reservoir with a storage capacity 
of 3,500 acre-feet at a water surface elevation of 7,830 feet msl; (2) 
a new 52-acre lower reservoir with a storage capacity of 3,500 acre-
feet at a water surface elevation of 6,700 feet msl; (3) a 450-foot-
long, 75-foot-wide, 40-foot-high concrete/metal powerhouse with three 
100-foot-long, 70-foot-diameter vertical shafts, each of which would 
house a 150- MW reversible pump-turbine and motor-generator, for a 
total generating capacity of 450 MW; (4) three alternative points of 
interconnection, each with its own transmission route: (a) a new 10-
mile-long, 230-kV transmission line connecting to the existing 
Walsenburg-Gladstone 230-kV transmission line; (b) a new 44-mile-long, 
345-kV transmission line connecting to a substation that is planned in 
association with a proposed wind project and the Mora Line being 
developed by Ameren; or (c) a new 37-mile-long, 345-kV transmission 
line connecting to the Mora Substation north of Springer, which is part 
of the Mora Line project being developed by Ameren; and (5) appurtenant 
facilities.
    Applicant Contact: Mr. Matthew Shapiro, JT Mesa Hydro, LLC, 800 W 
Main St., Ste. 900 Boise, ID 83702; [email protected]; phone: 
(208) 246-9925.
    FERC Contact: Everard Baker; email: [email protected]; phone: 
(202) 502-8554.
    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members, and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with filings such as interventions, 
comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to 
contact OPP at (202)502-6595 or [email protected]. Comments, motions to 
intervene, competing applications (without notices of intent), or 
notices of intent to file competing applications should be submitted 
within 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 https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. Commenters can submit brief 
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the 
eComment system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/QuickComment.aspx. 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, you may submit a paper copy. 
Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: 
Secretary Kimberly Bose, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other 
carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 
20852. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-
15294-000.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the 
application, can be viewed on the Commission's website (http://www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number (P-
15294) in the docket number field to access the document. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: November 7, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-25042 Filed 11-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P