Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Sen. Angus King (I-ME) recently introduced the Fair Licensing for Operations of Water Structures (FLOWS) Act, S. 3518.
The FLOWS Act would amend the Federal Power Act to remove the requirement for hydropower projects to seek Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval for routine maintenance or non-substantial alterations. Currently, these must be approved by FERC, a process that results in months-long delays and unnecessary costs. This is a point of increasing frustration for public power utilities. The bill would also allow FERC to issue shorter-term licenses of 10-20 years to micro hydrokinetic projects.
The American Public Power Association issued the following statement of support: “The American Public Power Association applauds Senators Murkowski and King for introducing the Fair Licensing for Operations of Water Structures (FLOWS) Act. Requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval of non-substantial alterations and routine maintenance at hydropower projects does not make any sense. This bill frees project owners of those administrative burdens so that they can keep the power flowing. Hydropower is a cornerstone of our nation’s reliable electric system, and we thank Senators Murkowski and King for their work to ensure it stays that way.”
The legislation has been referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
