FERC - Chugach Electric Association Application for Caribou Creek Hydropower Project

Content

Take notice that the following application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection:

a. Application Type: Declaration of Intention.

b. Docket No: DI26-4-000.

c. Date Filed: February 17, 2026.

d. Applicant: Chugach Electric Association, Inc.

e. Name of Project: Caribou Creek Hydropower Project.

f. Location: The proposed Caribou Creek Hydropower Project would be located on Caribou Creek, in the town of Glacier View, in Matanuska-Susitna
Borough, Alaska. The project would not occupy federal land. All lands associated with the proposed project are owned by the
state of Alaska or Cook Inlet Region, Inc.

g. Filed Pursuant to: Section 23(b)(1) of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 817(b)(1).

h. Applicant Contact: Samantha Owen, McMillen, Inc., 1471 Shoreline Drive, Suite 100, Boise, ID 83702; (305) 409-5201; owen@mcmillen.com.

i. FERC Contact: Rebecca Martin, (202) 502-6012, or rebecca.martin@ferc.gov.

j. Deadline for filing comments, protests, and motions to intervene is: April 20, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file comments, protests, and motions to intervene 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 FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions
sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne
A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The first page
of any filing should include docket number DI26-2-000. Comments emailed to Commission staff are not considered part of the
Commission record.

k. Description of Project: The proposed project would consist of a dam (height is undetermined) located on Caribou Creek approximately two miles upstream
of its confluence with the Matanuska River. The proposed dam would consist of a concrete-faced rockfill embankment dam, impounding
Caribou Creek to a maximum elevation of up to 2,200 feet, forming a reservoir with a maximum surface area of 980 acres. The
proposed dam would be built and operated as a storage-based generation facility and create impoundment capacity suitable for
capturing and storing large runoff events in the summer and fall. This would provide stable baseload generation during winter
months when precipitation occurs as snow and natural inflows are minimal. A 7-foot diameter penstock would extend approximately
500 feet from the dam downhill to the proposed powerhouse. The penstock would convey flow through an elevation drop of approximately
380 feet to the powerhouse site, with a proposed tailrace elevation of 1,780 feet. The powerhouse would contain two Francis-type
turbine-generator units with a rated capacity of 8.8 megawatts (MW) each for a total powerhouse capacity of 18 MW. The potential
annual energy generation would be 58 gigawatt-hours (GWh). Adjacent to the powerhouse would be a substation with a new high
voltage transmission line spanning approximately 1,500 feet to an existing transmission line running alongside Glenn Highway.

When a Declaration of Intention is filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Federal Power Act requires the
Commission to investigate and determine if the project would affect the interests of interstate or foreign commerce. The Commission
also determines whether or not the project: (1) would be located on a navigable waterway; (2) would occupy public lands or
reservations of the United States; (3) would utilize surplus water or water power from a government dam; or (4) would be located
on a non-navigable stream over which Congress has Commerce Clause jurisdiction and would be constructed or enlarged after
1935.

l. Locations of the Application: This filing may be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. You may also register
online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, call 1-866-208-3676
or email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, for TTY, call (202) 502-8659.

m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of
the Commission.

n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and
Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, and .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all
protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules
may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified
comment date for the particular application. For public inquiries and assistance with intervening or participating, contact
the Office of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or OPP@ferc.gov.

o. Filing and Service of Responsive Documents: All filings must bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “PROTESTS”, and “MOTIONS TO INTERVENE”, as applicable,
and the Docket Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. A copy of any Motion to Intervene must also
be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the particular application.

p. Agency Comments: Federal, state, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may
be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing
comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)

Dated: March 19, 2026. Carlos D. Clay, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2026-05706 Filed 3-23-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

Download File

Download