2018-19814. Midwest Energy Recycling, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications

On July 17, 2018, Midwest Energy Recycling, LLC filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of the Yellow Medicine County Pumped Storage Project to be located near the Minnesota River and the City of Granite Falls, in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. The sole purpose of a preliminary permit, if issued, is to grant the permit holder priority to file a license application during the permit term. A preliminary permit does not authorize the permit holder to perform any land-disturbing activities or otherwise enter upon lands or waters owned by others without the owners' express permission.

The proposed project would consist of the following all new facilities: (1) A circular 100-acre rockfill embankment (upper reservoir) having a total storage capacity of 3,300 acre-feet with a maximum pond elevation level of 1089 feet mean sea level (msl); (2) a 2,400-foot by 1,425-foot rectangular lower reservoir with a total storage capacity of 3,300 acre-feet and water surface elevation between minus (−) 1,320 and minus 1,420 feet msl; (3) a 100-foot outside diameter, 18-foot inside diameter “morning glory” in configuration reinforced concrete intake located in the upper reservoir; (4) a vertical 2,500-foot-long, 18-foot-diameter steel penstock connected to the intake at the upper reservoir and ending in a bifurcation before the powerhouse located at the lower reservoir; (5) a 200-foot-long, 70-foot-wide, 130-foot-high reinforced concrete powerhouse containing two 333-megawatt (MW) reversible pump turbine units with a total plant rating of 666 MW; (6) a 240-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, 40-foot-high transformer gallery; (7); a 200 to 1,000-foot-long, 345-kilovolt transmission line extending from the transformer gallery to an existing substation (the point of interconnection); and (8) appurtenant facilities. The estimated annual generation of the Yellow Medicine County Pumped Storage Project would be 1,450 gigawatt-hours.

Applicant Contact: Mr. Douglas A. Spaulding, P.E., Nelson Energy, 8441 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 101 Golden Valley, MN 55426; phone: [phone].

FERC Contact: Sergiu Serban; phone: [phone].

Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file competing applications: 60 Days from the issuance of this notice. Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements of 18 CFR 4.36.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and competing applications using the Commission's eFiling system at 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 [e-mail], [phone] (toll free), or [phone] (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should include docket number P-14884-000.

More information about this project, including a copy of the application, can be viewed or printed on the “eLibrary” link of Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov/​docs-filing/​elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number (P-14884) in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

Dated: September 6, 2018.

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

Deputy Secretary.