FERC Greenlights Hydropower from California Water Pipes for 59 Homes
Published Date: 5/22/2025
Notice
Summary
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is giving a thumbs-up to 3R Valve’s new small hydropower project in California, which will generate clean energy using water pipes. This project could produce enough electricity to power about 59 homes a year and is now open for public comments and challenges. If you’re interested, act fast—your chance to weigh in won’t last forever!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Project Preliminarily Qualifies; No License
FERC staff preliminarily found that 3R Valve’s Aquifer Pumped Hydro2 Project near Rosamond, Kern County, California meets the statutory criteria for a qualifying conduit hydropower facility. The project is described as four pump-as-turbine units with a total installed capacity of 236 kW and an estimated annual generation of about 59 megawatt-hours, and it is not required to be licensed or exempted from licensing under the Federal Power Act.
Public Comment and Intervention Window
Anyone may file comments, comments contesting whether the facility meets the qualifying criteria, or motions to intervene in this FERC proceeding. The deadline for those filings is June 12, 2025; FERC encourages electronic filing and allows brief eComments up to 6,000 characters without prior registration, and the Office of Public Participation can assist members of the public including landowners, community organizations, and Tribal members.
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Key Dates
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