FERC Extends Routine Hydropower Payment Data Collection
Published Date: 7/13/2026
Notice
Summary
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is extending the deadline for collecting info about payments linked to improvements at upstream hydropower projects. This affects hydropower license holders who share benefits from river flow changes. No changes to the rules, but comments are due by September 11, 2026, so get your thoughts in on time!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
FERC-521 Reporting Continues; Burden Stays
FERC renewed the FERC-521 information collection for three years with no changes, so hydropower project owners must keep filing the same data under 18 CFR Part 11. The Commission estimates each respondent will spend 40 hours per response at $102/hour (about $4,080 per respondent), with a total annual burden of 120 hours and $12,240 across respondents.
Section 10(f) Reimbursement Requirement Remains
Under Section 10(f) of the Federal Power Act, hydropower licensees must reimburse upstream headwater project owners for an equitable portion of benefits resulting from headwater improvements. The FERC-521 collection implements that requirement and requires federal and non-federal project owners to file the data used to determine those headwater benefits under 18 CFR Part 11.
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