Your PUD
News Release
FERC issues new 43-year license for the Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project
Chelan County PUD
News Release
2/19/2009
Chelan County, Wash. -- A new 43-year license for Public Utility District No. 1 of Chelan County (Chelan County PUD) to continue operating the Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project was issued today.
The new license provides a continued low-cost power supply for PUD customers, along with new environmental protections for the community.
“This is an important day for the customer-owners of this PUD and for the entire region,” said Rich Riazzi, Chelan County PUD general manager. “We are pleased to have a new license, assuring the clean, renewable hydropower from Rocky Reach will continue to provide its many benefits for a long time to come.”
The new license is based on a settlement agreement submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on March 17, 2006, between Chelan County PUD and stakeholders, including the local communities, state and federal agencies, and environmental groups.
“We are very pleased to have partnered with the PUD on this project and view the collaboration and the license as a success for the environment and the community,” said Jay Manning, director of the state Department of Ecology. “This is another example of how working together on the issues around the Columbia River leads to real accomplishments.”
Chelan County PUD Commission President Ann Congdon said: “In this time of heightened awareness of clean energy resources, having a project like Rocky Reach secured for at least another 43 years is a huge benefit to the people of Chelan County and the Northwest. It’s also a tribute to those visionary PUD pioneers who took bold steps in the 1950s to make this happen in the first place. We appreciate all the hard work that has gone into taking this next step.”
The license issued today contains requirements for operating the 1,300-megawatt Rocky Reach Project, including environmental protections. The license outlines approximately $425 million in costs to Chelan County PUD over the next 43 years, including continuation of the Habitat Conservation Plan for salmon and steelhead, maintaining existing parks on the Rocky Reach reservoir, providing renovation of Entiat Park and enhancements to Lincoln Rock and Daroga state parks.
In addition, the new license has provisions to ensure safe passage of bull trout and lamprey past the dam, research on possible hatchery facilities to supplement the white sturgeon population, an evaluation of resident fish for future recreational fishing, funding for habitat restoration projects on federal and state wildlife lands and a variety of other actions.
Chelan County PUD’s application to FERC was developed in an Alternative Licensing process that included input from members of the community. Broad support for the license application included the National Park Service, U.S. Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Nation, Washington Parks and Recreation Commission, Alcoa Power Generating, Inc., the city of Entiat, Entiat Coalition and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service.
Gregg Carrington, Chelan County PUD Natural Resources Department Director said: “This license would not have been possible without the collaborative relationships established through the relicensing process, and all the parties that came together to find solutions to some very difficult issues. The new license strikes a balance between environmental concerns, recreation, and economic issues.”
Chelan County PUD staff will carefully study the license order to see if there are any significant changes from the settlement agreement. Should it decide to do so, Chelan County PUD has 30 days from the day the license is issued to file an appeal of any portion of the license.
Chelan County PUD began the relicensing effort for the Rocky Reach Project in 1999, seven years before the license was to expire in June 2006. The PUD initially applied for a 50-year license. Since 2006, the Chelan County PUD has been operating the dam with annual licenses issued by FERC.
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Contacts: Gregg Carrington, Director Natural Resources Division (509) 661-4178
Michelle Smith, Licensing and Compliance Manager (509) 661-4175
Kris Pomianek, Recreation Resources Administrator (509) 661-4186