Pacific Gas and Electric Company Submits Storage and Temperature Report to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Pacific Gas and Electric Company has submitted a document to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project. The document presents the Lake Pillsbury monthly storage report and water temperature monitoring related to the 2025 temporary minimum instream flow amendment. The submission includes a detailed report on the storage and temperature data for the month of August 2025. The report provides various forecasts for the storage levels and water temperatures, including different scenarios for the EBRR flow and Block water release.

Key Takeaways:

• The Pacific Gas and Electric Company submitted a document to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on September 11, 2025, regarding the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
• The document presents the Lake Pillsbury monthly storage report and water temperature monitoring related to the 2025 temporary minimum instream flow amendment.
• The submission includes a detailed report on the storage and temperature data for the month of August 2025, including various forecasts for the storage levels and water temperatures.
• The forecasts include different scenarios for the EBRR flow and Block water release, with different assumptions for the increases in the EBRR flow and the start of the Block water release in December 2025.
• The document provides a comparison of different scenarios for the Block water release and the EBRR flow after September 30th, 2025.
• The storage and temperature data are based on preliminary data and are subject to change as more information becomes available.
• The document includes water temperature data for Lake Pillsbury, with various graphs and charts showing the temperature profiles for different dates in 2025.
• The document also includes a comparison of the water temperatures at Benmore Creek and Trout Creek, with a graph showing the difference in temperatures between the two locations.

Statistics:

• The 2025 temporary minimum instream flow amendment was approved by FERC on August 4, 2025, with a requirement for Pacific Gas and Electric Company to submit monthly storage reports.
• The storage and temperature data report for August 2025 shows a total storage of 35,145 acre-feet on August 1, 2025, with an average inflow of 142 cfs and an average outflow of 26 cfs.
• The report also shows a total precipitation of 31.8 inches from August 1 to 26, 2025, with an average temperature of 22.5°C on the mainstem Eel River.
• The variance was approved on August 4, 2025, with a PVID allotment of 3,570 AF for the remainder of the irrigation season.
• The report includes various forecasts for the storage levels and water temperatures, including different scenarios for the EBRR flow and Block water release.

Sources:

• Pacific Gas and Electric Company. (2025, September 11). Letter to Debbie-Anne Reese, Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Retrieved from https://elibrary.ferc.gov
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (2025, August 4). Order Approving Temporary Flow Amendment Request. Retrieved from https://elibrary.ferc.gov