Relicensing
| Facility Name |
FERC Project Number |
License Expiration Date |
Exhibit M Generator Capacity |
| Big Creek No. 4 |
2017 |
November 30, 2039 |
100.00 |
| Vermilion Valley |
2086 |
August 31, 2003 |
0.00 |
| Portal |
2174 |
March 31, 2005 |
10.80 |
| Mammoth Pool |
2085 |
November 30, 2007 |
190.00 |
| Big Creek Nos. 1&2 |
2175 |
February 28, 2009 |
154.85 |
| Big Creek Nos. 2A, 8 and Eastwood Power Station |
67 |
February 28, 2009 |
384.80 |
| Big Creek No. 3 |
120 |
|
174.45 |
Due to FERC regulatory deadlines for submission of new applications, SCE is licensing three of its Big Creek projects, Big Creek 4 (FERC No. 2017), Vermilion (FERC No. 2086), and Portal (FERC No. 2174), using a Traditional Licensing Process. The remaining four projects are being licensed using an Alternative Licensing Process (ALP).
What is The Traditional Licensing Process?
FERC regulations specify that the Traditional Relicensing Process requires a minimum of a three-year, three-stage consultation process for the preparation and filing of a new license application for an existing hydroelectric project. Under this Process, the licensee prepares and submits a license application to the FERC presenting information about the project, the resources in the project area, and the licensee's protection, mitigation and enhancement proposals along with those measures proposed by other parties, but not adopted by the licensee. After submittal of the license application, the FERC embarks upon an independent environmental review of the project. During this time, resource agencies, Native American tribes, the public and the licensee can provide comments. A collaborative process is typically not used throughout the process to discuss the potential license terms and conditions submitted to the FERC. The Traditional Relicensing Process was previously the only process available to a licensee. This licensing approach is still available for use with any project.
What is The Alternative Licensing Process?
(ALP) The Alternative Licensing Process empowers the licensee and stakeholders to collaboratively design the consultation process for the relicensing effort. The ALP allows the licensee and stakeholders to jointly propose license terms and conditions often based on a negotiated settlement agreement which is submitted to the FERC with the license application. The ALP also combines the pre-filing consultation process with some of the FERC's NEPA requirements. The FERC regulations allow for an integration of pre-filing consultations with the environmental analysis, allowing the licensee to prepare an Applicant Prepared Environmental Assessment (APEA) to meet the requirements of NEPA. The draft APEA is filed with the FERC along with the license application. The ALP may include the development of settlement agreements between relicensing participants. A settlement agreement may detail a preferred project mitigation strategy that has been agreed upon by relicensing participants. Ideally, any settlement agreement would be includedin the APEA and would be used by the FERC as a basis for the new license terms and conditions.
The ALP encourages greater public involvement and provides an opportunity for the licensee and stakeholders to tailor the licensing process to address specific issues and streamline procedural compliance with multiple federal laws that are involved n the relicensing process. An atmosphere of cooperation, trust, and support for the alternative approach among relicensing participants is essential to the success of this relicensing effort.