PG&E withdraws Potter Valley hydro relicensing, FERC opens orphan project solicitation

California electric utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company has withdrawn its expression of intent to seek a new license for the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project, saying its relicensing would be contrary to the interests of its electric ratepayers. The withdrawal has prompted federal hydropower regulators to institute an "orphan project" process to find interest from other entities in seeking a license for the project. If no other entity seeks and obtains a new license for the project, PG&E would be responsible for surrendering the existing project license.

The Potter Valley Project is located on the Eel and East Fork Russian Rivers in northern California, about 15 miles northeast of the city of Ukiah. Originally licensed by the Federal Power Commission in 1922, and owned by PG&E since 1930, the project includes Lake Pillsbury, impounded by Scott Dam; the Van Arsdale Reservoir, impounded by the Cape Horn Diversion Dam; and a tunnel, penstock and powerhouse located in the headwaters of the Russian River Basin. PG&E estimates the average annual generation of the project to be 19,900 megawatt-hours, with an installed capacity of 9.4 megawatts. The current license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission expires on April 14, 2022, requiring PG&E to submit a new license application by April 14, 2020.

On April 6, 2017, PG&E filed a pre-application document (PAD) and notice of its intent (NOI) to file an application for a new license. But on January 25, 2019, PG&E filed notice of the withdrawal of its NOI and PAD, indicating it is no longer seeking a new license for the project and is terminating its efforts to transfer and sell the project.

In that notice, PG&E said it has "determined that it would be contrary to the interests of its electric ratepayers to continue relicensing the Potter Valley project." PG&E said it had long recognized hte project as "uneconomic for PG&E's ratepayers (i.e. the cost of production exceeding the cost of alternative sources of renewable power on the open market)." PG&E cited "continued declining energy markets, potential increased costs associated with anticipated new license conditions, and challenging financial circumstances" as leading the company to conclude it cannot justify to its ratepayers further expenditures associated with the project.

PG&E noted its anticipation that the Commission would institute its "orphan project" process under the Commission's rules to solicit license applications for Potter Valley from other entities, and expressed its understanding that PG&E would be responsible for surrendering the existing license if no other entity seeks and obtains a new license for the project. PG&E closed by saying it "recognizes the value of Potter Valley to local communities because it provides for the protection of important environmental resources, consumptive water uses, public recreation, and other economic values" which the utility said should be appropriately considered if it is required to file a surrender application.

In response, on March 1, 2019, the Commission issued a Notice Soliciting Applications for a new license for the Potter Valley project within 120 days. The Commission noted that if no other applicant files an application for a license by April 14, 2020, PG&E would be provided with written notice that no timely application for the project has been filed, and would then have 90 days within which to file a schedule for the filing of a surrender application for the project.