Applegate Dam hydroelectric project terminated by FERC
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| Applegate Dam and Reservoir |
The tale of the proposed hydropower
generation facility on the Applegate Dam is one of corporate mergers, joint
ventures and acquisitions, and less about actually generating electricity.
Symbiotics LLC originally obtained the license and permit from the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in 2009, then later Ag Hydro LLC took over
the license. Symbiotics and Ag Hydro are now both subsidiaries of Riverbank
Power Corporation. Based in Toronto, Canada, Riverbank Power is a developer,
constructor and operator of hydropower generation facilities in North and South
America, with offices in Toronto, Oregon, Utah, Idaho and Lima, Peru.
After
all the efforts of the federal government; after all the corporate financing
poured into the project; after all the energy of local Applegaters to attend
public meetings and write public comments about the proposal, and after more
than a decade, the project has been officially terminated by FERC. The reason as
stated in FERC’s Order Terminating License issued October 16, 2014: “…we find
that AG Hydro failed to commence project construction by the deadline
established pursuant to section 13 of the Federal Power Act (FPA). We therefore must terminate the
license.” However, after reading this Order it appears to me that Ag Hydro
just completely dropped the ball. Read FERC’S Order Terminating License yourself; it is an interesting read.
all the efforts of the federal government; after all the corporate financing
poured into the project; after all the energy of local Applegaters to attend
public meetings and write public comments about the proposal, and after more
than a decade, the project has been officially terminated by FERC. The reason as
stated in FERC’s Order Terminating License issued October 16, 2014: “…we find
that AG Hydro failed to commence project construction by the deadline
established pursuant to section 13 of the Federal Power Act (FPA). We therefore must terminate the
license.” However, after reading this Order it appears to me that Ag Hydro
just completely dropped the ball. Read FERC’S Order Terminating License yourself; it is an interesting read.
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| The Applegate River emerging from the Applegate Dam |
Some
of the reasons stated for the termination of the project within the Order are:
of the reasons stated for the termination of the project within the Order are:
- Ag
Hydro filed drawings stamped “Not for Construction.” - Ag Hydro failed to submit
a formal project financing plan. - Ag Hydro’s steel liner design was considered
unacceptable and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) asked for major
modifications to the project design, but Ag Hydro did not file an amendment
application to address the issues. - Ag Hydro did not meet the deadline to start
project construction on December, 17 2011, and after being granted a two-year
extension they didn’t meet the final deadline to start project construction on
December, 17 2013. - Ag Hydro submitted inadequate documentation to prove
manufacturing of turbine components at its manufacturing facility in China. - Ag
Hydro submitted photos of blueprints that were ineligible and in Chinese, and
the only dates on the drawings referenced 2006, predating the FERC license. - Ag
Hydro failed to complete other pre-construction requirements. - Ag Hydro ordered
turbines differing from those authorized in the license.
It’s
clear that it was in the best interest of Applegate Valley residents, the Applegate
River and public coffers that this project was terminated by FERC. Despite
being told by Symbiotics at public meetings here in the valley that they wanted
to “work with the community,” it appears that Symbiotics/Ag Hydro didn’t even
want to work with the agency, let alone the community, and they completely
mismanaged this project.
clear that it was in the best interest of Applegate Valley residents, the Applegate
River and public coffers that this project was terminated by FERC. Despite
being told by Symbiotics at public meetings here in the valley that they wanted
to “work with the community,” it appears that Symbiotics/Ag Hydro didn’t even
want to work with the agency, let alone the community, and they completely
mismanaged this project.
Unfortunately, we are still left with
an uncertain future regarding the health of salmonid fish (fall chinook, coho,
steelhead, and cutthroat trout) in the Applegate River. When the Applegate Dam
was constructed in 1980 it blocked an estimated 35-80 miles of spawning and
rearing habitat above the Applegate dam according to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. Coho salmon in the Applegate River
belong to the Southern Oregon-Northern California Coast Evolutionary
Significant Unit, which is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered
Species Act. The 242 foot dam would require a fish ladder that would be 3.5
miles long to maintain the maximum 1.3% slope needed to keep the water velocity
in the range of 6 to 12 feet per second to achieve the right conditions for upstream
fish migration.
an uncertain future regarding the health of salmonid fish (fall chinook, coho,
steelhead, and cutthroat trout) in the Applegate River. When the Applegate Dam
was constructed in 1980 it blocked an estimated 35-80 miles of spawning and
rearing habitat above the Applegate dam according to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. Coho salmon in the Applegate River
belong to the Southern Oregon-Northern California Coast Evolutionary
Significant Unit, which is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered
Species Act. The 242 foot dam would require a fish ladder that would be 3.5
miles long to maintain the maximum 1.3% slope needed to keep the water velocity
in the range of 6 to 12 feet per second to achieve the right conditions for upstream
fish migration.
Over and over the public has been told
such a fish ladder would be financially unfeasible. That is why Ag Hydro had to
include a plan within their proposal to trap adult steelhead at the dam’s base
and truck them upstream above the dam, and retrofit the existing dam structure
to allow fish to get back downstream on their own through a kind of chute. Hopefully
the Army Corps of Engineers, which operates Applegate Dam, and the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife can still find funding to restore fish to their
original spawning streams above the Applegate Dam.
such a fish ladder would be financially unfeasible. That is why Ag Hydro had to
include a plan within their proposal to trap adult steelhead at the dam’s base
and truck them upstream above the dam, and retrofit the existing dam structure
to allow fish to get back downstream on their own through a kind of chute. Hopefully
the Army Corps of Engineers, which operates Applegate Dam, and the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife can still find funding to restore fish to their
original spawning streams above the Applegate Dam.
Suzie Savoie