WASHINGTON 11/22/11 (PennWell) -- The Bureau of Reclamation seeks public comment on a draft directive and standard for the issuance of federal Leases of Power Privilege to build hydroelectric projects on Reclamation water resources facilities. Comments are due Jan. 15, 2012.
A Lease of Power Privilege is a congressionally authorized alternative to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hydropower licensing. It gives a non-federal entity authorization to use Reclamation-owned water or facilities for generation and sale of hydropower.
Reclamation said its revised directive and standard for Lease of Power Privilege is intended to make the process more effective by making it more responsive to project sponsors and more consistent throughout the agency.
It said the updated requirements provide a common understanding of how the LOPP process is administered and how Reclamation will improve working relationships with its project partners. The agency previously contacted project stakeholders and various industry interests to develop the revised requirements.
"This revised directive and standard provides clearer guidance and time frames on LOPP requirements, clearly assigns roles and responsibilities within the organization for LOPP development, sets a standard methodology across Reclamation for the LOPP charge, and clearly identifies all potential charges for developers," Reclamation said.
The draft directive and standard is available from the Reclamation Internet site at www.usbr.gov/recman. Comments are due by Jan. 15, 2012, to Michael Pulskamp, Bureau of Reclamation, E-mail: mpulskamp@usbr.gov.
