§823g Considerations for Relicensing Terms

Summary

When deciding how long a new license will last after the current one ends, the Commission must consider both investments the licensee will make under the new license and investments the licensee made during the old license. These two kinds of investments get equal weight. Investments include things like rebuilding, new construction or capacity, efficiency or modernization work, replacing major equipment, safety upgrades, and environmental or recreation protections or enhancements required or allowed by the new license. If past, ongoing, or planned investments were not already counted when the old license term was set, the Commission must treat them the same as new-license investments. A licensee can ask the Commission to say whether an investment qualifies, and the Commission must answer within 60 days. That answer will not say how many extra years the investment adds; the length is decided later when setting the new license term.