Tucker

PSC Case 16-1117-E-CS-PC

Legal
0921
Exhibit A
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 16-1117-E-CS-PC
MT. STORM WIND FORCE, LLC
Application for waiver of siting certificate modification requirements or,
in the alternative, for approval of a modification or amendment to its
siting certificate and related requests for relief.
NOTICE OF FILING
By an order issued in Case No. 01-1664-E-CN on August 29, 2002, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (Commission) granted Mt. Storm Wind Force, LLC (Mt. Storm), a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (Certificate) for the construction and operation of a wholesale electric generating facility consisting of up to 166 wind turbines and related interconnection facilities (Project). The Project wind turbines will be located in northwestern Grant County, with a portion of the wind turbines lying north of US. Route 50 in the Stony River and Difficult Creek areas and the rest of the wind turbines lying south of US. Route 50 and to the east and south of the Town of Bayard in the areas around Dobbin Ridge and Cherry Ridge. Approximately 11 miles of 138 kV overhead transmission line will be constructed to connect the Project to an existing transmission line near the Town of William in Tucker County. The Project is owned by Mt. Storm Wind Force, LLC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC acquired in April 2015.
On August 15, 2016, Mt. Storm filed an Application requesting that the Commission: (i) determine that certain proposed revisions to the Project are not material and do not require modification of the Certificate for the Project; or (ii) in the alternative, modify the Certificate to incorporate the proposed revisions to the Project (Application).
The proposed changes to the Project consist of:
• Increasing the maximum electric generation capacity of individual wind turbines from 2.0
megawatts (MW) to 2.1 MW.
• Decreasing the maximum number of wind turbines from 166 to 72, resulting in a net
reduction in maximum total Project generation from 250 MW to 150 MW.
• Decreasing turbine hub height by 20 feet while increasing turbine blade length by 64 feet,
for a net increase in maximum total height of 43 feet.
• Revising final wind turbine locations for the remaining turbines, but within the same general
areas as initially approved, thereby leaving the overall Project footprint unchanged.
• Using overhead lines to collect and transmit power between select turbines in areas with
difficult terrain.
Mt. Storm asserts that the proposed changes do not materially change the Project design or footprint, do not increase the Project’s transmission or generation capacity, and do not materially affect the Project’s impact on viewshed, noise, emissions or other environmental resources. The purpose of this proceeding is to determine whether the proposed revisions constitute “material” modifications to the Certificate issued to Mt. Storm in 2002, and if so, whether the modifications should be approved. The purpose of this proceeding is not to re-examine the entire, original project.
Further information concerning the Application is available in the case file at the Commission offices at 201 Brooks Street, Charleston, West Virginia, or on the Commission’s website, www.psc.state.wv.us, under Case No. 16-1117-E-CS-PC.
Anyone desiring to protest the Application or intervene in this case must file a written protest or request to intervene within thirty (30) days of the date of the publication of this notice. Anyone requesting a hearing in this case must also file such request in writing within the same 30 day period and state why a hearing is necessary. Failure to timely protest or intervene can affect your right to protest or participate in future proceedings in this case. If no substantial protests are received within said 30 day period, the Commission may waive formal hearing and grant the Application based on the evidence submitted with said Application and its review thereof. All protests or requests to intervene shall briefly state the reason(s) for the protest or intervention. Requests to intervene must comply with the Commission’s rules on intervention set forth in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. The Commission’s rules are available via a link on the Commission’s Home Page to the website of the West Virginia Secretary of State. All protests, requests to intervene, and requests for hearing must be addressed to Ingrid Ferrell, Executive Secretary, Post Office Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323.
Mt. Storm Wind Force, LLC