Hydropower Project Licenses

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) grants licenses for hydropower projects for a period anywhere from 30 to 50 years. Licenses define how projects may operate for power generation and include provisions that benefit the public and the environment.

For example, a license might require operations to:

• Control flooding
• Enhance recreational opportunities
• Protect or enhance the environment affected by project operations

Stakeholders and Public Involvement

Active public involvement in the relicensing process is important to ensure that future licenses balance the need for power production as well as the needs of recreation, safety and the environment.

Equally important are the discussions, or consultation, with state and federal agencies managing natural and cultural resources, Native American tribes, environmental groups and the public; known collectively as stakeholders. Partnering with stakeholders allows Idaho Power to effectively address project-related impacts on the environment and the need for reliable, fair-priced energy services.

Throughout the course of the relicensing process, stakeholders are provided various opportunities to participate through noticed public meetings and solicitations for comment on official documents. Stakeholder input helps define the issues that will be examined in the relicensing process.

Once the issues are defined, Idaho Power studies the environmental and economic impact of the project and summarizes the results in a license application. When completed, Idaho Power provides copies of it and the full study reports, including recommendations for offsetting the project’s impacts on the affected environment, to FERC, resource agencies and interested stakeholders. The entire relicensing process can take anywhere from 5 to 10 years, depending on the complexity of issues.