[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 4, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23678-23680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10170]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Project No. 2735-104]
Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Application Ready for
Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms
and Conditions, and Prescriptions
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: New Major License.
b. Project No.: 2735-104.
c. Date filed: April 18, 2024.
d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
e. Name of Project: Helms Pumped Storage Project.
f. Location: The existing project is located about 50 miles
northeast of the city of Fresno, on the North Fork Kings River and
Helms Creek, in Fresno and Madera Counties, California. The project
currently occupies 3,346.6 acres of Federal land administered by the
U.S. Forest Service, 28.36 acres of Federal land managed by the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, and 0.07 acre of land managed by the Bureau of
Land Management. The project, with the proposed project boundary
modifications, would occupy a total of 2,887.7 acres of Federal land
administered by the U.S. Forest Service, 28.5 acres of Federal land
managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and 2.22 acres of land
managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
[[Page 23679]]
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791a-825r.
h. Applicant Contact: Dave Gabbard, Vice President, Power
Generation, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 300 Lakeside Drive,
Oakland, CA 94612; telephone at (650) 207-9705; email at
[email protected].
i. FERC Contact: Evan Williams, Project Coordinator, West Branch,
Division of Hydropower Licensing; telephone at (202) 502-8138; email at
[email protected].
j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and
conditions, and prescriptions: on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on
July 28, 2025; reply comments are due on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time on September 11, 2025.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions
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. 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: 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, Maryland 20852.
All filings must clearly identify the project name and docket number on
the first page: Helms Pumped Storage Project (P-2735-104).
The Commission's Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing
documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each
person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an
intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to
the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a
particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document
on that resource agency.
k. This application has been accepted and is ready for
environmental analysis at this time.
l. The existing Helms Pumped Storage Project (project) includes:
(1) a 132-foot-long, by 89-foot-wide, by 58.5-foot-high concrete
intake-discharge structure (Courtright Intake-Discharge Structure),
with metal trash racks, in Courtright Lake; (2) one 4,243-foot-long
tunnel (Tunnel 1) composed of two sections: (a) a 3,312-foot-long, 27-
foot-diameter concrete-lined section; and (b) a 931-foot-long, 22-foot-
diameter steel-lined section; (3) a 32.5-foot-long, by 38-foot-wide, by
45-foot-high gatehouse; (4) a 206-foot-long, 22-foot-diameter, above-
ground steel pipe that connects Tunnel 1 and Tunnel 2; (5) one 9,016-
foot-long tunnel (Tunnel 2) composed of two sections: (a) a 764-foot-
long, 22-foot-diameter steel-lined section; and (b) a 8,252-foot-long,
27-foot-diameter concrete-lined section; (6) a 600-foot-long adit of an
unknown diameter, with an adit plug with frame and gate; (7) a 535-
foot-high, vertical shaft surge chamber for Tunnel 2 with a 47-foot-
diameter lower section and 60-foot-diameter upper section, with 12 feet
of the chamber exposed above grade; (8) a 2,205-foot-long penstock
composed of three sections: (a) a 1,070-foot-long, 27-foot-diameter
concrete-lined section; (b) a 300-foot-long, 27-foot-diameter concrete-
lined section; and (c) a 330-foot-long, 27-foot-diameter concrete-lined
manifold section, that branches into three, 505-foot-long steel-lined
penstocks, that reduce in diameter from 15.5 feet to 11.5 feet, to 10.5
feet until connecting to the turbine-generator; (9) a 336-foot-long, by
83-foot-wide, by 125-foot-high excavated rock chamber underground
powerhouse that includes three, 360-megawatt (MW) vertical Francis-type
pump-turbine units, for a total installed capacity of 1,080 MW, and
three, vertical indoor generators with an approximate total nameplate
capacity of 1,212 MW; (10) a 3,727-foot-long, 27-foot-diameter
concrete-lined tunnel (Tunnel 3); (11) a 984-foot-tall, vertical shaft
surge chamber for Tunnel 3 with a 27-foot-diameter lower section and a
44-foot-diameter upper section that transitions into a 10-foot-diameter
air shaft topped by a 10-foot-tall, 14-foot-diameter protective device
above grade; (12) an 88-foot-long, by 78-foot-wide, by 51-foot-high
concrete intake-discharge structure (Wishon Intake-Discharge
Structure), with metal trash racks, in Lake Wishon; (13) a 220-foot by
265-foot above ground, fenced switchyard; (14) an underground
transformer bank of 10 transformers with a capacity of 150,000 kilo-
volt-amperes each; (15) a 3,723-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, 25-foot-high
powerhouse access tunnel; and (16) appurtenant facilities.
Although the project facilities do not include any dam or
reservoir, PG&E operates the project for power generation using
Courtright Lake (upper reservoir) and Lake Wishon (lower reservoir),
impounded by Courtright Dam and Wishon Dam, respectively, which are
licensed project facilities of the Hass-Kings River Hydroelectric
Project (Project No. P-1988). Courtright Lake has a usable storage area
of approximately 123,184 acre-feet and normal maximum and minimum water
surface elevations of 8,184 feet and 8,050 feet, respectively. Lake
Wishon has a usable storage area of approximately 128,606 acre-feet and
normal maximum and minimum water surface elevations of 6,550 feet and
6,428.9 feet, respectively. To generate power, water is released from
Courtright Lake through the Courtright Intake-Discharge Structure,
Tunnel 1, Tunnel 2, and the penstock, into the powerhouse and is
discharged through Tunnel 3 and the Wishon Intake-Discharge Structure
into Lake Wishon. During periods of low energy demand, water is pumped
through these project facilities in reverse (i.e., from Lake Wishon to
Courtright Lake). The average annual generation (2015 to 2020) was
736.6 gigawatt-hours.
The project generators are connected to the regional electric grid
by: (1) an underground transformer bank of 10 transformers with a
capacity of 150,000 kilo-volt-amperes each; (2) a 220-foot by- 265-foot
above ground, fenced switchyard; and (3) a 60.7-mile-long, double-
circuit 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line that connects the Helms
switchyard to PG&E's interconnection point with the grid at the non-
project Gregg Substation. The project also includes an approximately
1.8-mile-long, 21-kV distribution line from the non-project Woodchuck
Substation to the Helms Headquarters and Helms Powerhouse and an
approximately 2-mile-long, 21-kV distribution line from the non-project
Woodchuck Substation to the Helms Support Facility and non-project
Wishon Village Recreational Vehicle Park.
The project also includes: (1) the Helms Headquarters facility with
ancillary facilities; (2) the Helms Support Facility with ancillary
facilities; (3) project recreation facilities including the: (a)
Courtright Boat Launch; (b) Trapper Springs Campground; (c) Marmot Rock
Campground; (d) Wee-Mee-Kute Fishing Access; (e) Wishon Boat Launch;
(f) Lily Pad Campground; (g) Upper Kings River Group Campground; (h)
Wishon Dam Fishing Access; (i) Short Hair Creek Fishing Access; (j)
Coolidge Meadow Fishing Access; (k) Helms Picnic Area; (l) Upper Kings
River Fishing Access,
[[Page 23680]]
and their ancillary facilities and amenities; (3) an approximately 80-
acre Wildlife Habitat Management Area; (4) three, approximately 87-
foot-diameter asphalt-surfaced helicopter landing pads; (5) 36.45 miles
of non-recreation, vehicular project roads and trails; and (6) 1.08
miles of non-recreation, pedestrian project trails.
m. A copy of the application is available for review via the
internet through the Commission's Home Page (https://www.ferc.gov),
using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number, excluding the
last three digits in the docket number field, to access the document.
For assistance, contact FERC at [email protected] or call toll
free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY (202) 502-8659.
All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title
``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' ``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``TERMS AND
CONDITIONS,'' or ``PRESCRIPTIONS;'' (2) set forth in the heading the
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone
number of the person submitting the filing; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the
application directly from the applicant. Each filing must be
accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed on the service
list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with
18 CFR 4.34(b) and 385.2010.
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 interventions,
comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to
contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].
You may also register online at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
n. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following
the date of issuance of this notice: (1) a copy of the water quality
certification; (2) a copy of the request for certification, including
proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the request;
or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.
o. Procedural schedule: The application will be processed according
to the following schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as
appropriate.
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Milestone Date
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Deadline for Filing Comments, July 28, 2025.
Recommendations, and Agency
Terms and Conditions/
Prescriptions.
Licensee's Reply to REA Comments. September 11, 2025.
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Dated: May 29, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-10170 Filed 6-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P