Kern River No. 1 Project Relicensing (FERC No. 1930)

 

Kern River No. 1 Project Relicensing (FERC No. 1930)


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Southern California Edison (SCE) has begun the relicensing process for the Kern River No. 1 Hydroelectric Project (Project) (P-1930). Please use this page to find out how to get involved and stay up to date.

Below are links to Project-related materials, notifications, and documentation (provided as PDFs). All documents related to the Project can also be found on FERC’s eLibrary. This page will be updated throughout the relicensing process as new materials become available or are updated.

Image: Kern River No. 1 Powerhouse and tailrace, returning water to the Kern River.

Kern River No. 1 Powerhouse and tailrace, returning water to the Kern River.
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Stay Informed

Please complete the Contact Registration Form if you are interested in participating in the relicensing proceeding. This will ensure you are included on the distribution list and will receive future relicensing proceeding communications and meeting notifications.

Register online to be notified via e-mail of new FERC filings and issuances related to the Project. Follow the online instructions and subscribe to docket number P-1930.

If you are unable to access information contained on this webpage, please contact Kendra Ryan at Kendra.ryan@stantec.com

Recreation Use Studies

As outlined in the Recreation Technical Study Plans (refer to the Relicensing Documents section below for more information), SCE, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, is soliciting input from Kern River Day users to better understand recreation use in the Project area. These recreation studies are part of the FERC relicensing process. We request your help by completing the surveys below.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Recreation Facility Use

English:

Spanish:

Maps:

Whitewater Boating

SCE developed an online Questionnaire to gather information from individuals who have direct experience boating the Project bypass reach. 

The Questionnaire will be accessible for 60 days from September 20, 2024 to November 19, 2024, and can be accessed here.

Maps:

In addition, surveys and QR codes will be provided at onsite survey boxes at recreation facilities and trails in the Project area.

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Relicensing Overview

SCE’s operating license for the Project, FERC Project No. 1930, expires on May 31, 2028. Consequently, SCE is taking the initial steps required by the Federal Power Act and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to obtain a new license for the Project using the Integrated Licensing Process (ILP) (see SCE's Relicensing Notice here).

As required by the ILP, SCE prepared the Notice of Intent (NOI) and Pre-Application Document (PAD) five years before expiration of the existing license, on May 5, 2023.

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General Project Information

The Project is located on the Kern River approximately 15 miles east of the City of Bakersfield in Kern County, California. The Project is operated in a run-of-river mode. Water from the Kern River is diverted at Democrat Dam into a 9-mile-long flowline to the Project powerhouse which has a dependable generating capacity of 24.8 megawatts (MW). All Project facilities are located on National Forest Service lands within the Sequoia National Forest.

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Technical Working Groups (TWG)

SCE would like to invite you to participate in the Kern River No. 1 Hydroelectric Relicensing Technical Working Group (TWG) meetings organized by the following resource areas:

  • Aquatics
  • Cultural 
  • Land 
  • Recreation
  • Terrestrial

The TWG meetings are intended to obtain input on the content of the draft Technical Study Plans provided in SCE’s Pre-Application Document, dated May 2023. The meetings are open to federal and state resource agencies, local governments, Native American Tribes, non-governmental organizations, and other interested parties. Participants are expected to prepare for and attend meetings, review documents, and provide technical input to SCE and its consultants on methods, analysis, reporting, and scheduling. Considering this time commitment, it is expected that the TWG process will attract a relatively small number of subject matter experts. SCE will also support a concurrent but separate outreach effort to provide information about the relicensing to the interested public, as well as stakeholders electing not to participate in the TWG process, via electronic communication and updates to the Project website www.sce.com/kr1.

The TWG meeting schedule can be found below.

To be included in the TWG meetings, please complete the Technical Working Group Sign-up Form. If you are unable to attend a meeting, please provide comments by email to Kendra Ryan Kendra.ryan@stantec.com.

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TWG Materials

Below are links to TWG-related documentation (provided as PDFs). These links will be updated throughout the relicensing process as new materials become available or are updated.

Resource Area / Technical Study PlanTechnical Working GroupRelated Documents
Aquatic Resources

 

 

AQ 1 – Hydrology

AQ 2 – Water Quality/Water Temperature

AQ 3 – Fish Population

TWG #1

July 7, 2023

10 am- 12 pm

 

TWG #2

July 31, 2023

1-3 pm

 

TWG #3

August 24, 2023

1-3 pm

 

 

AQ 1 – Hydrology

AQ 3 – Fish Population

TWG

August 8, 2024

10 am-11:50 am

SCE_KR1_Aquatics TWG Agenda_882024 

KR1 AQ 1 Hydrology TSP

KR1 AQ 3 Fish Population TSP

Kern River No. 1 AQ1 AQ3 TWG

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aquatic resources

Resource Area / Technical Study Plan

Technical Working Group

Related Documents

Cultural Resources

 

 

CUL 1 – Built Environment

CUL 2 - Archaeology

TRI - Tribal

TWG #1

June 29, 2023

1-3 pm

KR1 Reliscensing Cultural Tribal TWG Meeting Information

KR 1 TWG Cultural Tribal Agenda 6_29_23

PPT KR1 TWG Cultural 6_29_23

TWG #2

July 27, 2023

1-3 pm

 

TWG #3

August 29, 2023

1-3 pm

 

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cultural resources

Resource Area / Technical Study Plan

Technical Working Group

Related Documents

Land Resources

 

 

 

LAND – Road and Trail Condition Assessment

LAND 2 – Erosion and Sedimentation

TWG #1

June 28, 2023

1-3 pm

2.0_Project_Location_Facilities_and_Operations_PAD_4.25.23_KR

PPT_KR1_TWG_LAND_June-28-2023_PS

LAND 2_Erosion and Sedimentation Draft TSP_4.24.23_KR

LAND 1_Roads and Trails Draft TSP_4.24.23_KR

KR 1_TWG_Agenda Land -June 28 2023

TWG #2

July 26, 2023

1-3 pm

 

TWG #3

August 23, 2023

1-3 pm

 

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Resource Area / Technical Study Plan

Technical Working Group

Related Documents

Recreation Resources

 

 

REC 1 – Recreation Facility Condition Assessment

REC 2 – Recreation Facility Use Assessment

REC 3 – Whitewater Boating

TWG #1

July 12, 2023

1-3 pm

REC 1_Rec Facility Condition Assessment Draft TSP_4.24.23_KR

REC 2_Rec Facility Use Assessment Draft TSP_4.24.23_KR

REC 3_WWBoating Draft TSP_4.24.23_KR

Kern River No. 1 Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 1930)

KR 1_TWG_Agenda Recreation-July 12 2023

PPT_KR1_TWG_Recreation_ July_11_2023_PS

3.11_Recreation_Resources_PAD_Map3.11_1a_Page_25

3.11_Recreation_Resources_PAD_Map3.11_1b_Page_27

TWG #2

August 10, 2023

1-3 pm

 

TWG #3

September 6, 2023

1-3 pm

 

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Resource Area / Technical Study Plan

Technical Working Group

Related Documents

Terrestrial Resources

TERR 1 – Botanical

TERR 2 - Wildlife

TWG #1

July 11, 2023

1-3 pm

 

TWG #2

August 8, 2023

1-3 pm

 

TWG #3

September 7, 2023

1-3 pm

 

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Contact Us

NameCompanyProject RoleAddressEmailPhone
Wayne AllenSCEPrincipal Manager1515 Walnut Grove Ave. Rosemead, CA 91770wayne.allen@sce.com626-302-9741
Martin OstendorfSCESenior ManagerPO Box 100 54170 Mtn Spruce Road, P.O. Box 100 Big Creek, CA 93605martin.ostendorf@sce.com559-893-2033
Meg RichardsonSCELicensing Manager/Project Lead1515 Walnut Grove Ave. Rosemead, CA 91770mary.m.richardson@sce.com626-238-2902
Dan KeverlineSCESenior Manager-Operations and MaintenanceKern 3 Hydro Powerhouse Kernville, CA 93238keverlds@sce.com760-376-3813
Jess FeferFERCAssigned Staff Jessica.Fefer@ferc.gov202-502-6631