FERC Requests Comments from Native American Tribes on Temporary Reservoir Variance for Otter Tail River Hydroelectric Project

Strategic Insights -

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a correspondence to several Native American tribes, inviting them to comment on a proposed temporary reservoir variance for the Otter Tail River Hydroelectric Project. The Otter Tail Power Company, the licensee, has requested a variance to maintain a target impoundment surface elevation of 1,254.4 feet msl at the Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir until December 31, 2022, due to unusual inflow and decommissioning of a thermal plant.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Otter Tail Power Company has requested a temporary variance of Article 401 to maintain a target impoundment surface elevation of 1,254.4 feet msl at the Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir until December 31, 2022.
  • The licensee attributes the issue to unusual inflow to the Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir and the decommissioning of the Hoot Lake thermal plant, which previously drew 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) from Hoot reservoir.
  • The proposed action would deviate from the usual operation of the project, which requires maintaining stable impoundment surface elevations at 1,256.0 feet msl and 1,254.4 feet msl at Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir and Hoot reservoir, respectively.
  • The FERC is required by its Tribal Policy to notify the tribes and provide them with an opportunity to file comments for the Commission's record.
  • The Commission has encouraged the tribes to file their comments electronically using the Commission's eFiling system.
  • The tribes have been notified via mail, and their comments are due within 30 days of the date of the letter.
  • The Commission has also provided contact information for FERC Online Support, in case the tribes need assistance with submissions.

Statistics:

  • 1,256.0 feet mean sea level (msl) and 1,254.4 feet msl are the target elevations for Hoot Diversion Dam reservoir and Hoot reservoir, respectively, as required by Article 401 of the project's license.
  • 1.6 feet msl is the water surface elevation differential between the two reservoirs.
  • 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) is the amount of outflow from Hoot reservoir through the Hoot Lake thermal plant.
  • June 30, 2022, is the date of the FERC's correspondence to the tribes.
  • December 31, 2022, is the proposed end date of the temporary variance.

Sources:

  • Otter Tail Power Company, 178 FERC P 61,106 (2022).
  • Document Accession #: 20220630-3058.
  • Filed Date: 06/30/2022.
  • Project No. 10853-022, -027.
  • General Correspondence FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION Washington D.C. 20426 OFFICE OF ENERGY PROJECTS Project No. 10853-022, -027 - Minnesota Otter Tail River Hydroelectric Project Otter Tail Power Company.