[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 53421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13929]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 15284-000]


HGE Energy Storage 1, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit 
Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To 
Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On August 18, 2022, HGE Energy Storage 1, 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 proposed 1,351-
megawatt (MW) Vandenberg Pumped Storage Project to be located at the 
Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. The sole 
purpose of a preliminary permit 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 new facilities: 
(1) a 28.4-acre upper reservoir and a storage capacity of 7,104 acre-
feet at an water surface elevation of 1,200 feet above mean sea level, 
created by a 30-foot-high, 4,450 foot-long upper embankment dam with 
rubber sheet and asphalt lining; (2) a 7,500-foot-long conduit 
connecting the upper reservoir to the Pacific Ocean; (3) a 250-foot 
long, 75-foot-wide, 100 foot-high powerhouse, constructed approximately 
100 feet below ground level near the Pacific Ocean; (4) seven steel-
lined, 7,500-foot-long penstocks; (5) seven 193-MW, reversible 
variable-speed pump turbines; a (6) a new, single circuit 214-kilovolt 
transmission line interconnecting the project to the grid at the Lompoc 
substation in Lompoc, California; and (7) a 400-foot-high, 30-foot-
diameter vertical access tunnel approximately constructed from ground 
level to the powerhouse.
    Water for the project would be pumped directly from the Pacific 
Ocean. A breakwater would be constructed in the Pacific Ocean to reduce 
water level fluctuations during pumping events, and to dissipate energy 
during periods of power generation, for the purpose of reducing impacts 
to marine resources caused by project discharges. The estimated annual 
energy production of the proposed project would be approximately 
3,952,128 megawatt-hours.
    Applicant Contact: Mr. Wayne Krouse, Manager, HGE Energy Storage 1 
LLC, 2901 4th Avenue South #B 253, Birmingham, AL 35233; email: 
[email protected]; phone (877) 556-6566 x-709.
    FERC Contact: Benjamin Mann; email; [email protected]; phone 
(202) 502-8127.
    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'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/eFiling.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. For 
assistance, please get in touch with FERC Online Support at 
[email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll-free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). Instead of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. 
Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: 
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. 
Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-
Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The first page of any 
filing should include docket number P-15284-000.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the 
application, can be viewed or printed on the ``eLibrary'' link of the 
Commission's website at https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search. 
Enter the docket number (P-15284) in the docket number field to access 
the document. For assistance, do not hesitate to get in touch with FERC 
Online Support.

    Dated: June 18, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-13929 Filed 6-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P