LIHI Certificate #12 - Tallassee Shoals Project, Middle Oconee River, Georgia , (FERC #6951)
Tallassee Project Is First Project in Georgia to Earn Re-Certification as Low Impact
Portland, Maine (August 27, 2009)–The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that the Tallassee Shoal LLC's Tallassee Shoals Hydroelectric Project on the Middle Oconee River in Clarke and Jackson Counties, Georgia, has earned LIHI's Low Impact Certification. The effective certification date is April 23, 2009. LIHI certification means that the hydropower facility has been found to meet or exceed the Institute's Certification Criteria which address eight key areas: river flows, water quality, fish passage and protection, watershed protection, threatened and endangered species protection, cultural resource protection, recreation, and facilities recommended for removal. Certification is designed to provide consumers with assurance that a facility has avoided or reduced their environmental impacts pursuant to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute's criteria. The Board's vote to certify the project was unanimous. The certification term is five-years which means the certificates expiration date is April 23, 2014.
The Board's vote to certify the Tallassee Shoals Project as a Low Impact facility was unanimous however, the Board added the following condition which had been part of the original certification:
On an annual basis beginning with the first anniversary of the effective LIHI Low Impact certification date, the applicant must submit documentation relating to the status of any recovery activities and compliance or non-compliance for any prescribed requirements of the Project for robust redhorse and anadromous or catadromous fisheries in the Oconee River watershed.
There were no public commenters on the application, and therefore no party eligible to appeal the facility's certification. As a result, we are able to issue the certification effective April 23, 2009. The certification of the Tallassee Shoals Project facility is valid for five years and will expire on April 23, 2014. During the time the Tallassee Shoals Project is certified as low impact, you may market the Tallassee Shoals Project facilities as a certified Low Impact Hydropower facility. Certification by the Institute also makes the power produced from the Tallassee Shoals facility eligible for other "green" power certification programs.
***
Portland, Maine (February 27, 2009) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that the Tallassee LLC. ("Applicant ") has submitted an application for re-certification of the Tallassee Shoals Hydroelectric Project. The Project received its initial Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) certification on July 22, 2004.
The run-of-river Project is located on the Middle Oconee River, near Athens, Georgia. The plant is equipped with two turbine/generators; a fixed Kaplan 100 KW unit installed within the dam and an adjustable Kaplan 2.3 MW unit located several hundreds yards downstream. The large turbine is of typical construction with a headrace, penstock, and tailrace.
The project consists of: a concrete dam; a 1,400-foot long and 20-foot wide headrace and 2 eight-foot diameter penstocks (60 and 100 feet long, respectively); a powerhouse with 2 generating units with a combined installed capacity of 2.3 MW, and a 750 foot tailrace. The bypass reach is 2,100 feet long. The reservoir's surface area is 37 acres at the normal operating pool level of 645 feet above mean sea level, and its official storage capacity is 350 acre-feet. The project was built in 1984-85 and began operation in 1986; it was constructed against the existing face of an old dam built in 1902 and retired in 1964. However, the facility ceased operations in early 2000 while under the ownership of the original licensee due to mechanical problems with the turbines.
Tallassee LLC who acquired the facility in January 2009 is currently focused on upgrading and repairing the generating units. The 100 KW unit is in the process of being rebuilt and is scheduled to be online in 4 to 8 weeks. In the interim, the 58 cfs flow required between dam and tailrace is insured by maintaining a minimum of 1" of flow over the dam. This process is computer controlled. The 2.3 MW turbine is operational but limited to 500 KW output as the runner blade adjusting hardware is not functional. Repair will be performed during the summer low flow months.
The Tallassee Shoals Project was originally certified on July 22, 2004 as a Low Impact facility and the vote was unanimous.
***
PORTLAND, ME – (July 28, 2004) —The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced that at their July 22nd meeting they certified the Tallassee Shoals Hydroelectric Project as low impact. The Project is located on the Middle Oconee River, Georgia. The 2.3 megawatt facility is owned and operated by the Fall Line Hydro Company, Inc., and licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The Tallassee Shoals Project (FERC #6951), which is currently not operational because of equipment problems, became the first hydropower facility to earn LIHI certification in Georgia and the 12th nationwide.
Certifying an existing dam that is not operating, in this case for four years, presents a situation not specifically addressed by LIHI criteria. However, there is nothing in LIHI's criteria that precludes certification of a non-operating project. Since non-operation makes it impossible to assess compliance by the project with terms and conditions of its FERC license regarding flows, and with impacts of the operating project on water quality, the LIHI Governing Board has included the following supplemental compliance verification conditions in its certification decision for the Tallassee Shoals Hydroelectric Project:
1) At 90 days and 120 days after commencement of operation (commercial operation of main turbine), the applicant must submit proof of compliance with minimum bypass flow requirements and downstream water quality standards.
2) On an annual basis beginning with the first anniversary of the effective LIHI Low Impact certification date, the applicant must submit documentation relating to the status of any recovery activities and compliance or non-compliance for any prescribed requirements of the Project for robust redhorse and anadromous or catadromous fisheries in the Oconee watershed. River
The run-of-the-river Tallassee Shoals Project consists of: a concrete dam; headrace and two 8 foot diameter penstocks; a powerhouse with two generating units with an installed capacity of 2.3 MW. The project was constructed in 1984-85 and began operation in 1986. The normal surface area of the reservoir is 37 acres at a normal operating level of 645-feet msl.
CERTIFICATION DECISION
The Institute's Governing Board has determined that the Tallassee Shoals Project, FERC No. 6951, meets the Low Impact Hydropower Certification Criteria. In reaching its decision to certify the Tallassee Shoals Project, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute's Governing Board reviewed the application for certification, as well as the Application Reviewer's report and the Staff report.
SUMMARYThe Board's vote on July 22, 2004 to certify the Tallassee Shoals Project as a Low Impact facility was unanimous.
Facility location: Middle Oconee River, Georgia
Installed capacity: 2.3 MW
Annual Generation: 6.5 gigawatt hours
Year FERC license issued: 1983
Applicant: Fall Line Hydro Company, Inc.
Applicant contact: Robert A. Davis, Project Mgr., (770) 277-4790
Date application posted to website: April 23, 2004
Date public comment period closed: July 2, 2004
Effective date of certification: April 23, 2004
Date certification ends: April 23, 2009
There were no public commenters on the application, and therefore no party eligible to appeal the facility's certification. As a result, we are able to issue the certification effective April 23, 2004.
The certification of the Tallassee Shoals Project is valid for five years and will expire on April 23, 2009.