[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 98 (Thursday, May 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21912-21913]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-09198]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CD25-8-000]
3R Valve; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a Qualifying
Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and Motions To
Intervene
On May 9, 2025, 3R Valve filed a notice of intent to construct a
qualifying conduit hydropower facility, pursuant to section 30 of the
Federal Power Act (FPA). The proposed Aquifer Pumped Hydro2 Project
would have an installed capacity of 236 kilowatts (kW) and would be
located at the Willow Springs Water Bank, also known as Antelope Valley
Water Storage, near Rosamond, Kern County, California.
[[Page 21913]]
Applicant Contact: Lon W. House, Water and Energy Consulting, 10645
N Oracle Rd., Ste. 121-216, Oro Valley, AZ 85704, 530-409-9702,
[email protected].
FERC Contact: Christopher Chaney, 202-502-6778,
[email protected].
Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility Description: The project
would consist of: (1) four pump as turbine generating units with a
total capacity of 236 kW and (2) appurtenant facilities. The proposed
project would have an estimated annual generation of approximately 59
megawatt-hours.
A qualifying conduit hydropower facility is one that is determined
or deemed to meet all the criteria shown in the table below.
Table 1--Criteria for Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility
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Satisfies (Y/
Statutory provision Description N)
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FPA 30(a)(3)(A)............................... The conduit the facility uses is a tunnel, Y
canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or
similar manmade water conveyance that is
operated for the distribution of water for
agricultural, municipal, or industrial
consumption and not primarily for the
generation of electricity.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(i)............................ The facility is constructed, operated, or Y
maintained for the generation of electric
power and uses for such generation only the
hydroelectric potential of a non-federally
owned conduit.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(ii)........................... The facility has an installed capacity that Y
does not exceed 40 megawatts.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii).......................... On or before August 9, 2013, the facility is Y
not licensed, or exempted from the licensing
requirements of Part I of the FPA.
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Preliminary Determination: The proposed Aquifer Pumped Hydro2
Project will not alter the primary purpose of the conduit, which is for
agricultural and municipal use. Therefore, based upon the above
criteria, Commission staff preliminarily determines that the operation
of the project described above satisfies the requirements for a
qualifying conduit hydropower facility, which is not required to be
licensed or exempted from licensing.
Comments and Motions To Intervene: Deadline for filing comments,
comments contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria,
and motions to intervene: June 12, 2025.
Anyone may submit comments or a motion to intervene in accordance
with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR
385.210 and 385.214. Any motions to intervene must be received on or
before the specified deadline date for the particular proceeding.
Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must (1)
bear in all capital letters the ``COMMENTS,'' ``COMMENTS CONTESTING
QUALIFICATION FOR A CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY,'' or ``MOTION TO
INTERVENE,'' as applicable; (2) state in the heading the name of the
applicant and the project number of the application to which the filing
responds; (3) state the name, address, and telephone number of the
person filing; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of
sections 385.2001 through 385.2005 of the Commission's regulations.\1\
All comments contesting Commission staff's preliminary determination
that the facility meets the qualifying criteria must set forth their
evidentiary basis.
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\1\ 18 CFR 385.2001 through 2005 (2024).
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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,
community organizations, Tribal members and others, access publicly
available information and navigate Commission processes. For public
inquiries and assistance with making filings such as comments or
motions to intervene, the public is encouraged to contact OPP at (202)
502-6595 or [email protected].
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
motions to intervene and comments using the Commission's eFiling system
at https://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 https://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, you may send a
paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be
addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 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, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852. A copy of all other filings
in reference to this application must be accompanied by proof of
service on all persons listed in the service list prepared by the
Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 385.2010.
Locations of Notice of Intent: The Commission provides all
interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the contents of
this document via the internet through the Commission's website at
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number
(i.e., CD25-8) in the docket number field to access the document. You
may also register online at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. Copies of the notice of
intent can be obtained directly from the applicant. For assistance,
call toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or email [email protected]. For
TTY, call (202) 502-8659.
Dated: May 13, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-09198 Filed 5-21-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P