Rye Development has secured hydropower license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the Kentucky Lock and Dam 11 Hydroelectric Project, which is owned and operated by the Kentucky River Authority.
The Project was the only one selected by FERC for its pilot program testing a new, 2-year hydropower licensing process that Congress mandated in the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013.The Project is expected to have a generating capacity of 5 megawatts (MW). It underwent an extensive evaluation process that included environmental and technical studies and the development of an Environmental Assessment (EA) by FERC staff.
"The implementation of this expedited process can help set the stage for increased development of new hydropower on existing dams throughout Kentucky and the United States," said Ramya Swaminathan, CEO of Rye Development. "We are excited that we were able to assist FERC in building and testing the new licensing framework. We applaud the members of the Kentucky congressional delegation for their continued support for the development of hydropower on existing dams throughout the Bluegrass State."
"The development of the Kentucky 11 hydropower Project will represent an investment of more than $12 million in the state of Kentucky," Swaminathan added. "The project will create 100 to 150 jobs during construction as well as continued staffing and service employment during operations. The clean, reliable electricity produced by the projects will be enough to power over 2,500 homes and businesses and will be a long term resource for Kentucky. We hope that the Kentucky 11 project helps to set the stage for more significant development of new hydropower on existing dams within the state."
The Project is expected to start construction in 2017 and commence operations in 2018.