Planned Projects at Five USACE Dams
Advanced Hydro Solutions (AHS) required assistance with the licensing of five proposed hydroelectric projects existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) dams which do not have any generating capacity. AHS’s proposed projects include the 6.0 MW Mahoning Creek Hydroelectric Project located in Pennsylvania, the 13.4 MW Jennings Randolph Project located in Maryland and West Virginia, the 29 MW Tygart Project located in West Virginia, the 9.1 MW Sutton Project located in West Virginia, and the 10.9 MW R.D. Bailey Project located in West Virginia.
Kleinschmidt has assisted AHS in strategic planning and coordination for the five separate processes, including determining the appropriate FERC licensing process to employ. R.D. Bailey used the Traditional Licensing Process while the other four projects opted for the default Integrated Licensing Process. Kleinschmidt developed key licensing documents for each project, including Pre- Application Documents and Initial and Final Study Plans , and Draft and Final License Applications. Kleinschmidt performed many of the field studies (including terrestrial surveys and recreation studies) and worked closely with other consultants on the remaining studies. Kleinschmidt also assisted AHS with developing applications for 401 Water Quality Certification and obtaining 408 authorization.
With Kleinschmidt assistance, AHS was able to navigate the complex interplay of FERC, Corps, and state regulatory requirements, AHS advanced three of the projects—Mahoning, Tygart, and Jennings Randolph through filing of the Final License Application. The Mahoning Project was subsequently sold to Enduring Hydro, who constructed the plant which is now in service. Jennings Randolph received a license from the FERC and is currently preparing for 2015 construction. The Tygart Project is awaiting a FERC license.