# 2026-07773: Hydropower Fees Hike: Pay Up for Uncle Sam’s Land Next Year

2026-07773, Annual Update to Fee Schedule for the Use of Government Lands by Hydropower Licensees, is a Federal Register rule from Energy Department, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission published 2026-04-21, effective 2026-04-21; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-07773
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-07773
- Title: Annual Update to Fee Schedule for the Use of Government Lands by Hydropower Licensees
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Energy Department; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Citation: 91 FR 21252
- Published: 2026-04-21
- Effective: 2026-04-21
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

Hydropower Fees Hike: Pay Up for Uncle Sam’s Land Next Year

## Summary

Hydropower companies that use government land will see updated rental fees for the next year, from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. These fees are set by county and must be paid in advance. The new fee schedule kicks in on April 21, 2026, keeping things fair and up-to-date for everyone using public lands.

## Abstract

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Commission, by its designee, the Executive Director, issues this annual update to the fee schedule in the appendix to the part, which lists per-acre rental fees by county (or other geographic area) for use of government lands by hydropower licensees.

## Effects PRIA read

- Annual per‑acre fee schedule updated: cost, medium. If you are a hydropower licensee that uses government land, the Commission has published an updated per‑acre rental fee schedule for Fiscal Year 2026. The rule is effective April 21, 2026, and the fee schedule applies for October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026.
- Annual charges must be prepaid: cost, low. The Commission reiterates that annual charges for the use of government lands are payable in advance under the regulation referenced in the rule. This prepayment requirement applies to charges assessed under the Fiscal Year 2026 fee schedule.
- Fees vary by county; sample rates: cost, medium. The appendix lists per‑acre rental fees by county that vary widely. Examples in the published schedule include Denver County at $981.97/acre/yr, Orleans Parish at $509.83/acre/yr, Napa County at $193.44/acre/yr, and Miami‑Dade County at $455.33/acre/yr for Fiscal Year 2026.

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- [2026-20658](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20658): Shoshone Irrigation District; Notice of Existing Licensee's Failure To File a Timely Notice of Intent To File a New License Application, an…, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20659](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20659): Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company; Notice of Application and Establishing Intervention Deadline, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20642](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20642): Combined Notice of Filings, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20580](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20580): Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Ventura to Farmington A-Line Abandonm…, 2026-10-08
- [2026-20582](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20582): Combined Notice of Filings, 2026-10-08

## Sources
- [2026-07773 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/21/2026-07773/annual-update-to-fee-schedule-for-the-use-of-government-lands-by-hydropower-licensees)
- [2026-07773 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-04-21/pdf/2026-07773.pdf)

## Related
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- [Next: 2026-07792, Fisheries of the South Atlantic; 2026 Recreational Accountability Measure and C…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-07792)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-07773 (as of 2026-06-11).