PROJECT WEBSITE: LEAPS Hydropower

All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
CANCELLED

ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING
N/A

0 out of 0

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED

SECTOR
Renewable Energy Production

CATEGORY
Project Category FAST-41 Covered Projects

LEAD AGENCY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Description:

The Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumped Storage Project (Project No. 14227) is a proposal to construct an original pumped storage project in California.  The proposed project would consist of:  (1) a new upper reservoir (Decker Canyon) having a 200-foot-high main dam and a gross storage volume of 5,750 acre-feet, at a normal reservoir surface elevation of 2,792 feet above mean sea level; (2) a powerhouse with two reversible pump-turbine units with a total installed capacity of 500 megawatts; (3) the existing Lake Elsinore to be used as a lower reservoir; (4) about 32 miles of 500-kilovolt transmission line connecting the project to an existing transmission line owned by Southern California Edison located north of the proposed project and to an existing San Diego Gas & Electric Company transmission line located to the south.

On December 9, 2021, Commission staff issued a letter dismissing, without prejudice, the license application for the project.  On January 7, 2022, the project sponsor filed a request for rehearing or, in the alternative, motion for temporary stay of dismissal of license application.  On March 24, 2022, the Commission issued an order sustaining the result of the December 9, 2021 order and denying the motion for temporary stay.  

FAST-41 Initiation Notice

• Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_Number=20200708-3026.

Project Application and Supporting Documents

• Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumped Storage Project, Transmittal Letter for Final License Application (filed 10/02/2017).  Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_Number=20171002-0008.
• Lake Elsinore Advanced Pumped Storage Project, Final License Application (filed 10/02/2017).  Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_Number=20171002-4003.
• Additional project-related filings can be found on FERC’s eLibrary website by searching under Docket No. P-14227. 

Federal Agency Actions

• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Application Tendered for Filing with the Commission and Soliciting Additional Study Requests (issued 10/11/2017).  Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_Number=20171011-3023.
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions to Intervene and Protests (issued 07/26/2019).  Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_Number=20190726-3008.
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Soliciting Scoping Comments (issued 06/18/2020).  Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_Number=20200618-3007.
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Letter Dismissing License Application (issued 12/09/2021).  Document located at:  https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filedownload?fileid=3A8024DF-717D-CFDA-95D0-7DA014000000.
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Order Addressing Arguments Raised on Rehearing and Denying Motion for Temporary Stay (issued 03/24/2022).  Document located at: https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filedownload?fileid=75D17F3A-3719-CB60-9591-7FBCE8100000.
• Additional project-related issuances can be found on FERC’s eLibrary website by searching under Docket No. P-14227. 

Status of Mitigation Measures

• Not applicable.  On March 24, 2022, the Commission issued an order sustaining the result of the December 9, 2021 order dismissing the license application for the project.

FERC Litigation

• None filed.

Public Meetings and Comment Periods

• There are no planned public meetings or comment periods.  On March 24, 2022, the Commission issued an order sustaining the result of the December 9, 2021 order dismissing the license application for the project.

Last updated March 29, 2022