Hydroelectric Approval Process

In order to reduce upfront project costs, City Council has decided to stop work on the hydroelectric facility to allow for an independent review of the facility’s benefits. The review will assist council with determining whether the hydroelectric facility will continue to be a part of the Surface Water Improvement Project. The facility could be added at a later date if Council decides not to pursue it at this time.

The hydroelectric facility will require a conduit exemption from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and a certificate to generate hydropower from the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD). Both the FERC and the OWRD process include opportunity for public comments. The FERC conduit exemption includes a three-step consultation process (described below).

Step 1
Distribute Initial Consultation Document and conduct joint meetings with agencies and stakeholders.
Provide a 60-day period to collect and review comments on the hydroelectric facility and study requests.

Step 2
Provide agencies with a draft application for the hydroelectric facility including the results of any completed studies.

Step 3
Provide agencies with a final application for the hydroelectric facility documenting the three-stage consultation process.

The FERC conduit exemption and the OWRD hydropower certificate will allow the City to generate power from water already being diverted for municipal use, but will not allow the City to divert water for the sole purpose of generating power.

Notice of availability: Draft Application for City of Bend’s Proposed Small Conduit Hydroelectric Facility 

The City Council recently decided to suspend engineering and permitting for the proposed hydroelectric element of the Surface Water Improvement Project. Prior to this suspension, the City had submitted an application for a Conduit Exemption to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the proposed hydroelectric facility. The comment period for this draft application is currently open and was scheduled to close on April 4, 2012.

Due to Council’s recent decision, the City will keep the FERC Draft Application period open until further notice. If and when the City Council provides staff further direction regarding the timing of the hydro project which would result in re-initiating the permitting and engineering work on the hydropower facility, the City would post a notice on this website updating the FERC draft application comment period at that time. That revised comment due date would be 90 days after posting of the notice.

Please submit your comments to:

Sandy Siemens, HDR Engineering
805 SW Industrial Way, Mill A Building Suite 4
Bend, OR 97702
sandra.siemens@hdrinc.com

If you would like a copy of the draft application mailed or emailed to you, please provide your mailing address or email address to: sandra.siemens@hdrinc.com.

The following documents provide information about the approval process for the new facility. New documents will be added as they are developed.