Projects & Studies
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Critical Infrastructure Security Program (CISP)
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Dam Bridge and Gate Painting: Upper St. Anthony Falls through Lock and Dam 10
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East Two Rivers at Tower, Minnesota
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Effects of Recreational Boating on the Upper Mississippi River System
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General Investigations: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC) Licensing
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General Investigations: Hydropower, Crown Hydro, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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General Investigations: Hydropower, Ford Plant, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Hydropower, LSAF Hydro, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Hydropower, Lock and Dam 2, Hastings, Minnesota
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Hydropower, Upper St. Anthony Falls, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Integrated Watershed Study: Minnesota River Basin in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa
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Lock & Dam 10 Stage 2
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Lock Tow Haulage Units
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Lock and Dam 4 Embankment Environmental Assessment
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Locks and Dams 2 - 10, Embankment Maintenance Study
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Lower Pool 4 Channel and Dredged Material Management Study
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McMillan Island, Mississippi River Channel Maintenance
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Minnesota River Navigation Project
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Mississippi Headwaters Reservoirs Dam Safety Issues
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Mississippi Headwaters Reservoirs Project Sites
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Mississippi River Locks and Dams Nos. 2-10 Embankment Rehabilitation
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Mississippi River Major Maintenance / Rehabilitation
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Mississippi River: Lock & Dam 3 Navigation Safety and Embankments, Minnesota and Wisconsin
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Navigation and Environmental Sustainability Program (NESP)
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Navigation, Mississippi River, Lock Bulkheads and Slot Installation, Minn/Wisc/Iowa
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Operation and Maintenance, Lock and Dam 10 Stage 2
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Reconnaissance Study: Minnesota River Basin in MN, SD, IA and ND
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Recreational Boating Study of the Mississippi River, Pools 4 to 9, Summer 2003
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River Resource Values and Expectation
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Small-Boat Harbor Dredging, St. Paul, Minnesota (Harbor Dredging)
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St. Croix River: Endangered Mussel Conservation - Zebra Mussel Control
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Upper Mississippi River - Illinois Waterway System Navigation Study
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Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Project - Locks & Dams
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Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Project Channel Maintenance; MN, WI, IA
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Warroad Harbor and River Harbor Dredging
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General Investigations: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC) Licensing
Location/Description
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Granting licenses for private hydropower development at federal facilities falls within the purview of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC. Private hydropower facilities that have been built in conjunction with Corps' facilities include Xcel Energy at Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis, Brookfield Power at Lock and Dam 1 in Minneapolis and the city of Hastings Hydropower at Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings, Minn.
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Background
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FERC issues preliminary permits to private hydropower developers. The preliminary permit gives the developer three years in which it has exclusive rights to develop hydropower at a given location. At the end of three years, the developer must have conducted sufficient studies and coordination with interested parties to submit a draft license application to FERC. Further coordination is conducted before the developer submits the final license application. After review of the final license application, FERC may or may not issue a license.
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Status
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A license has recently been granted for LSAF Hydropower at Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis. Construction is slated to begin in 2008. The city of Hastings has filed an application to amend its license to add an in-stream turbine system to capture additional energy. A preliminary permit was issued in December 2004 for a hydropower plant in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, at Lock and Dam 5. The permit expired without a draft license application being submitted.
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Authority
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Licensing of hydropower facilities is governed by Part I of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 791(a) – 825(r). Licensing at Corps' facilities is also governed by a 1981 Memorandum of Understanding between FERC and the Department of the Army. As part of this agreement, the licensee must provide free power to the Corps' facility. The Corps must provide written approval of the design before FERC will allow construction to begin.
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Fiscal
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A fixed amount, usually $7,000 per year, is funded under the General Investigations account for FERC-related administrative and prelicensing activities. Funding needs in excess of this amount are often taken out of Operation and Maintenance funds, if additional General Investigations funds are not available. After a license has been granted and up until the hydropower project goes into commercial operation, the FERC licensee must reimburse the government for Corps' costs to review design documents and monitor hydropower construction.
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[Printable Copy]
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