Senate committee advances hydropower bill backed by Murkowski

Senate committee advances Alaska hydropower permitting bill

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed legislation Wednesday that would eliminate federal approval requirements for routine maintenance at Alaska hydropower facilities and create a streamlined permitting pathway for wave, tidal, and river-current energy projects.

The Fair Licensing for Operations of Water Structures Act removes the requirement that hydropower operators seek Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval for routine maintenance, non-substantial alterations, and temporary adjustments at existing facilities. The bill also allows FERC to issue 10-20 year licenses for micro hydrokinetic energy projects under five megawatts and establishes a two-year statutory timeline for FERC to process those applications.

Senator Lisa Murkowski, a co-sponsor, said Alaska's construction constraints force operators to wait full seasons for simple approvals. "When you have short construction seasons, you've got the logistical challenges where you've got to move everything up by ship, and that's limited because you can't do that 365 days a year," Murkowski said.

FERC must issue implementing regulations for the two-year application timeline within 180 days of enactment. The bill also requires a report to Congress on the environmental and economic effects of licensed micro hydrokinetic projects within five years of enactment or after 50 projects have been operational for one year.