
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7768-7770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02241]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 2351-017]


Public Service Company of Colorado; Notice of Application 
Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, 
Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, 
Recommendations, Preliminary Terms and Conditions, and Preliminary 
Fishway Prescriptions

    Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been 
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
    a. Type of Application: New Major License.
    b. Project No.: 2351-017.
    c. Date Filed: February 27, 2012.
    d. Applicant: Excel Energy Services, Inc. on behalf of Public 
Service Company of Colorado.
    e. Name of Project: Cabin Creek Pumped Storage Project.
    f. Location: The existing project is located on the South Clear 
Creek and its tributary Cabin Creek in Clear Creek County, Colorado. 
The project, as currently licensed, is located on 267 acres of U.S. 
Forest Service lands within the Arapahoe National Forest.
    g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
    h. Applicant Contact: Christine E. Johnston, Xcel Energy, 4653 
Table Mountain Drive, Golden, CO 80403; (720) 497-2156.
    i. FERC Contact: David Turner, (202) 502-6091.
    j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments,

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recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary 
prescriptions: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice; reply 
comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    Motions to intervene, protests, comments, recommendations, 
preliminary terms and conditions, and preliminary fishway prescriptions 
may be filed electronically via the Internet. See 18 CFR 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site 
http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit 
brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, 
using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the 
end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, 
or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. Although the Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, 
mail an original and seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, 
DC 20426.
    The Commission's Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing 
documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each 
person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an 
intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to 
the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a 
particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document 
on that resource agency.
    k. This application has been accepted for filing and is now ready 
for environmental analysis.
    l. The Project Description: The existing project includes the 
following facilities: (1) A 210-foot-high, 1,458-foot-long concrete-
faced rockfill Upper Dam across Cabin Creek; (2) a 25.4 acre upper 
reservoir with 1,087 acre-feet of usable storage between the maximum 
operating elevation of 11,196 feet mean sea level (msl) and the minimum 
operating elevation of 11,140 feet msl; (3) a 95-foot-high, 1,195-foot-
long earthfill and rockfill Lower Dam across South Clear Creek; (4) a 
44.8-acre lower reservoir with 1,221 acre-feet of usable storage 
between the maximum operating elevation of 10,002 feet msl and 9,975 
feet msl; (5) a 145-foot-long auxiliary spillway constructed in the 
embankment of the lower reservoir with a crest elevation of 10,013 
feet; (6) an intake structure located near the bottom of the upper 
reservoir; (7) a 12 to 15-foot-diameter, 4,143-foot-long power tunnel; 
(8) two 75-foot-long, 8.5-foot-diameter penstocks directing flow from 
the power tunnel to the powerhouse turbines; (9) a powerhouse installed 
at the lower reservoir containing two reversible turbine-generator 
units rated at 150 megawatts (nameplate capacity) each; (10) a 
switchyard located next to the powerhouse; (11) three miles of gravel 
access roads; and (12) appurtenant facilities.
    Cabin Creek is a pumped storage project. The normal daily operation 
cycle involves pumping water from the lower reservoir to the upper 
reservoir during off-peak periods of energy demand and generating 
electricity with water released from the upper reservoir during the 
high energy demand part of the day. Under the current license, the 
applicant is required to provide a continuous release from the lower 
reservoir of three cubic feet per second or inflow, whichever is less, 
to South Clear Creek.
    The applicant proposes the following changes to the project: (1) 
Upgrade the pump-generation equipment; (2) raise the usable storage 
capacity of the upper reservoir 75 acre-feet by raising the height of 
the dam 4.5 feet; and (3) increase the project boundary by 59 acres.
    m. A copy of the application is available for review at the 
Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' 
link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the 
docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact 
FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at 1-
866-208-3676, or for TTY, (202) 502-8659. A copy is also available for 
inspection and reproduction at the address in item (h) above.
    Register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances 
related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC 
Online Support.
    n. Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene 
in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 
18 CFR 385.210, .211, and .214. In determining the appropriate action 
to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments 
filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with 
the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any 
comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or 
before the specified comment date for the particular application.
    All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title 
``PROTEST'', ``MOTION TO INTERVENE'', ``COMMENTS,'' ``REPLY COMMENTS,'' 
``RECOMMENDATIONS,'' ``PRELIMINARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS,'' or 
``PRELIMINARY FISHWAY PRESCRIPTIONS;'' (2) set forth in the heading the 
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to 
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone 
number of the person protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise 
comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All 
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must 
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the 
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the 
application directly from the applicant. A copy of any protest or 
motion to intervene must be served upon each representative of the 
applicant specified in the particular application. A copy of all other 
filings in reference to this application must be accompanied by proof 
of service on all persons listed in the service list prepared by the 
Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 
385.2010.
    o. Procedural Schedule:
    The application will be processed according to the following 
revised Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the schedule may be made 
as appropriate.

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          Milestone                           Target date
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Ready for Environmental        Thursday, January 24, 2013.
 Analysis and Application
 Acceptance.
Comments, Interventions,       Wednesday, March 27, 2013.
 recommendations,
 prescriptions due.
Requests 401 Certification...  Monday, March 25, 2013.
Reply Comments due...........  Thursday, May 09, 2013.
Issue single EA..............  Wednesday, July 24, 2013.
Comments on EA due...........  Friday, August 23, 2013.

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Modified 4(e) and Fishway      Wednesday, October 23, 2013.
 Prescriptions.
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    p. Final amendments to the application must be filed with the 
Commission no later than 30 days from the issuance date of this notice.
    q. A license applicant must file no later than 60 days following 
the date of issuance of the notice of acceptance and ready for 
environmental analysis provided for in 5.22: (1) A copy of the water 
quality certification; (2) a copy of the request for certification, 
including proof of the date on which the certifying agency received the 
request; or (3) evidence of waiver of water quality certification.

    Dated: January 25, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-02241 Filed 2-1-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


