New Cumberland
Hydroelectric Project – Federal Energy
Regulatory
Commission
Current Hydro, LLC acting as agent for Current Hydro Project 19, LLC (Current Hydro) hereby notifies the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) and interested parties its application for an original license was filed on May 7, 2024, for the New Cumberland Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 15045) to be located at the existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Cumberland Locks and Dam on the Ohio River (River Mile 54.4) in New Cumberland, Hancock County, West Virginia. Pursuant to the requirements set forth by 18 CFR Section 4.32 (b)(6), the following information must be made public.
a. Application Type. Hydropower License for Major Project – Existing Dam.
b. Filing date. An application for a hydropower license for the New Cumberland Hydropower Project was filed on May 7, 2024.
c. Summary of the Documents
The license application is filed in four volumes. Volume I contains the Initial Statement, Exhibit A (Description of Project), Exhibit B (Project Operations and Resource Utilization), Exhibit C (Construction History and Proposed Construction Schedule), Exhibit D (Statement of Costs and Financing), and Exhibit G (Project Boundary Map). Volume II contains Exhibit E (Environmental Report and associated appendices). Volume III contains Exhibit F (design drawings and supporting design report) and is Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII). Volume IV contains Exhibit E, Appendix J (Cultural Resources Reports), which are privileged and confidential, non-pubic information.
d. Project Description
The proposed New Cumberland Project would consist of: (1) a new 101-foot-wide, 193-foot-long reinforced concrete powerhouse to be located along the left bank looking downstream; (2) a new 90-foot-wide by 350-foot-long intake section with trash racks; (3) two identical Kaplan pit turbine-generators with a combined capacity of 19.99 MW; (4) a new 95-foot-wide, 120-foot-long tailrace channel downstream of the powerhouse; (5) a new 13.8 kV 180ft underground utilidor crossing under the Norfolk Southern railway and transitioning to 350ft overhead transmission, up the embankment to the powerhouse substation; (6) a new approximately 90-foot-wide by 90-foot-long powerhouse substation; (7) a new 1,050 foot-long, 138 kV, three phase overhead transmission line connecting the powerhouse substation to the existing 138 kV transmission line, east of Hancock County Bus Garage interconnection point in West Virginia; and (8) appurtenant facilities.
e. Applicant’s Name and Address
Current Hydro, LLC
Joel Herm, CEO
Rhinebeck, NY 12572
Telephone: 917 244-3607
f. Availability of information
The license application and associated appendices can be found at Current Hydro’s website
(www.currenthydro.
com/new-cumberland)
or Swaney Memorial Library, 210 S. Court Street, P.O. Box 608, New Cumberland, WV 26047-0608.
g. Requests for scientific information
If any resource agency, Native American tribe, or person believes that an additional scientific study should be conducted, that entity should file a request for the study not later than 60 days from the date of the application filing ((i.e., July 6, 2024)
h. Commission Action
The Commission will publish subsequent notice soliciting public participation. The Commission will process or solicit additional study requests, as appropriate, after Commission acceptance of the license application. The Commission will request interventions, recommendations, and terms and conditions on the application after Commission staff has reviewed its adequacy. Respondents can submit their comments to:
Office of the Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20428
Alternatively interested parties can e-file their comments pursuant to 18 CFR S 385.2003(c) to FERC’s website at
http://www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/docs-filing.asp
where instructions are posted about how to file and view comments and documents in FERC’s elibrary. For any comment submissions, it is important to include the project name and project number, “New Cumberland Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 15045” on the first page of any written comments
Int. May 17, 20, 2024