The Oswegatchie River Project consists of 6 developments from upstream to downstream: Browns Falls (river mile or RM 96.9), Flat Rock (RM 94.1), South Edwards (RM 87.1), Oswegatchie (RM 86.6), Heuvelton (RM 12), and Eel Weir (RM 5.1) on the Oswegatchie River. All developments are within St. Lawrence County, New York.  The Project is owned by Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP (Brookfield Renewable Energy Group) and was most recently relicensed by Comisión Federal de Comercio in 2012. The Project developments were originally constructed between 1913 and 1928.

The Oswegatchie River is a 137-mile-long river in northern New York that flows from the Adirondack Mountains north to the Saint Lawrence River. There are numerous hydroelectric projects located on the river, including three projects upstream of the Browns Falls development, seven projects located between the Oswegatchie and Heuvelton developments, and one project downstream of the Eel Weir development.

Los cuatro desarrollos aguas arriba (Browns Falls, Flat Rock, South Edwards y Oswegatchie) se operan como alcanzando su punto máximo facilities.  The two downstream developments (Heuvelton and Eel Weir) operate in a run‐of‐river mode.

Nombre del proyecto	Río Oswegatchie
Dueño	Erie Boulevard Hydropower LP (Brookfield Renewable Energy Group)
Certificado LIHI No.	161
Plazo del certificado LIHI	May 17, 2019 – May 16, 2024 (option to extend to May 16, 2027)
Estado	Nueva York
Ubicación	Ubicado entre la milla fluvial 5.1 y 96.9 en el río Oswegatchie
Capacidad instalada	Total: 28,56 MW Browns Falls: 15.00 MW Flat Rock: 5.07 MW South Edwards: 2.92 MW Oswegatchie: 2.07 MW Heuvelton: 1.04 MW Eel Weir: 2.46 MW
Generación media anual	Total: 110.411 MWh Browns Falls: 55,741 MWh Flat Rock: 16,095 MWh South Edwards: 17,249 MWh Oswegatchie: 8,080 MWh Heuvelton: 4,424 MWh Eel Weir: 8,822 MWh
Tipo de instalación	The four upstream developments (Browns Falls, Flat Rock, South Edwards, and Oswegatchie) are operated as peaking facilities. The two downstream developments (Heuvelton and Eel Weir) operate in a run‐of‐river mode.
N.º FERC	P-2713 emitido en 2012, vence en 2052

Browns Falls:

The Browns Falls Development includes a 941-foot-long, 69-foot-high concrete gravedad presa con una longitud de 192,2 pies ojiva aliviadero section and 2-foot-high seasonal flash boards. A 130.5-foot-long contrafuerte section with a timber parapet wall and a 70-foot-long abutment section are located on the east side of the spillway; a 27.6- foot-long deep gate section is located on the west side of the spillway with a log sluice gate opening and two deep-sluice deslizar puertas. A 62-foot-long intake section and a 458.7-foot-long abutment section are located on the west side of the spillway. The dam creates a 168-acre impoundment.

A gated intake structure leads to a 6,000-foot-long steel pipeline and a surge tank which leads to two 142-foot-long steel tuberías forzadas.  The central eléctrica contiene dos verticales Turbina Francis units rated at 7.5 MW each for a total installed capacity of 15.0 MW. The development creates a 7,500-foot-long bypassed reach.

Browns Falls operates in tandem with Flat Rock as a peaking facility to increase generation during periods of high electricity demand. The impoundment fluctuates on a daily cycle, typically drawing down when the demand for electricity increases and refilling when demand decreases.  The development operates with a maximum fluctuation of four feet from July 15 through March 14, and two feet from March 15 through July 14. Fluctuations greater than 3 feet occur infrequently. Erie maintains two-foot year-round tableros de flash designed to fail when overtopped in excess of 2 feet of river flow. A minimum flow of 30 cfs is provided year-round in the bypassed reach.

Flat Rock:

The Flat Rock Development includes a 658-foot- long, 70-foot-high concrete gravity dam with a 229-foot-long ogee spillway section and sluice gate, a 120-foot-long earthen embankment section with a concrete core wall on the east side of the spillway; a 95-foot-long abutment section on the east side of the spillway. The dam creates a 159-acre impoundment.  The intake section is located on the west side of the spillway along with a deep gate section, a deep-sluice slide gate; and a 134-foot-long abutment section.

The intake leads to the powerhouse containing two vertical Francis turbine units rated at 2.09 and 2.98 MW, for a total installed capacity of 5.07 MW.  The Flat Rock powerhouse is integral with the dam; therefore, there is no bypassed reach. Erie operates and maintains a boat launch and picnic area at the Flat Rock Development.

The Flat Rock development operates with a maximum fluctuation of four feet from July 15 through March 14, and two feet from March 15 through July 14. A minimum flujo base of 160 cfs is provided year-round from the Flat Rock powerhouse which operates in tandem with Brown Falls as a peaking facility.

South Edwards:

The South Edwards Development consists of a 214.5-foot-long, 48-foot-high dam that includes an 88-foot-long, concrete gravity ogee spillway section with 2-foot-high seasonal flash boards; a 13.5-foot-long abutment section and a 17-foot-long abutment section with log sluice gate on the east side of the spillway; a 46-foot-long intake section on the west side of the spillway; and a 50-foot-long abutment section on the west side of the spillway.  There is a 510-foot-long earthen embankment and a 240-foot-long earthen embankment located upstream on the west side of the dam, each with concrete core walls and 10-inch-high flashboards. The dam creates a 79.2-acre impoundment.

The intake structure leads to a 1,106-foot-long fiberglass pipeline, a 4-foot- diameter butterfly valve and a 4-foot-diameter, 30-foot-long pipe connecting to the fiberglass pipeline and containing a minimum flow submersible Flygt turbine-generating unit rated at 0.24 MW.  A surge tank with a 4-foot-diameter, 63-foot-long overflow pipe that connects to the fiberglass pipeline. The powerhouse contains three horizontal Turbinas Francis rated at 1.0 MW, 1.0 MW, and 0.68 MW, for a total installed capacity of 2.92 MW, including the 0.24-MW minimum flow unit.  The South Edwards Development creates a 1,500-foot-long bypassed reach.

The South Edwards development operates with a maximum fluctuation of six feet from July 15 through March 14, and two feet from March 15 through July 14. Erie maintains two-foot year-round flashboards designed to fail when overtopped in excess of 2 feet of river flow. A minimum flow of 60 cfs year-round into the bypassed reach is typically provided by the minimum flow unit.

Oswegatchie:

The Oswegatchie Development consists of a 160- foot-long, 12-foot-high dam that includes an 80-foot-long, 12-foot-high concrete gravity spillway section; a 30-foot-long bedrock outcrop section on the west side of the spillway; and a 50-foot-long intake section on the west side of the spillway. The dam creates a 6-acre impoundment.  The intake structure leads to 75.5-foot-long steel compuerta and a 6.5- foot-diameter, 65-foot-long steel penstock. The powerhouse contains two vertical Canadian Hydro Components turbines rated at 1.035 MW each for a total installed capacity of 2.07 MW. The Oswegatchie Development creates a 350-foot-long bypassed reach.

The Oswegatchie development operates with a maximum fluctuation of 0.4 feet. A minimum flow of 40 cfs year-round into the bypassed reach is provided by a minimum flow notch in the spillway.

Heuvelton:

The Heuvelton Development consists of a 285-foot- long, 19-foot-high concrete gravity dam and spillway topped with two 28-foot-long, 11.1-foot-high inflatable rubber bladder gates and four 28-foot-long, 11.1-foot-high Tainter gates. The dam creates a 239-acre impoundment.  The intake structure leads to the powerhouse which contains two vertical Francis turbines rated at 0.52 MW for a total installed capacity of 1.04 MW. The Heuvelton powerhouse is integral with the dam; therefore, there is no bypassed reach. Erie operates and maintains a picnic area at the Heuvelton Development.

The Heuvelton development operates in de pasada mode with a maximum fluctuation of 0.5 feet. A minimum base flow of 275 cfs year-round is provided from the Project’s powerhouse.

Eel Weir:

The Eel Weir Development consists of a 1,122-foot- long, 26-foot high dam that includes a 774-foot-long, 26-foot-high Emborracharse spillway section with a log sluice gate and two deep-sluice slide gates; a 120.5- foot-long abutment section on the east side of the spillway; a 117.5-foot-long intake section on the east side of the spillway and a 110-foot-long earthen embankment section on the west side of the spillway. The dam creates a 96-acre impoundment.  The intake structure leads to the powerhouse which contains two propeller-type turbines rated at 1.0 MW and one vertical Francis turbine rated at 0.46 MW, for a total installed capacity of 2.46 MW. The Eel Weir powerhouse is integral with the dam; therefore, there is no bypassed reach. Erie operates and maintains a canoe portage route at the Eel Weir Development.

The Eel Weir development operates in run-of-river mode with a maximum fluctuation of 0.5 feet. A minimum base flow of 325 cfs year-round is provided from the Project’s powerhouse.

Certification History:

9 de septiembre de 2019: La decisión de certificar el Proyecto Hidroeléctrico del Río Oswegatchie es definitiva. No se recibieron apelaciones durante el período de apelación, que cerró el 8 de septiembre de 2019. El plazo de certificación del Proyecto es del 17 de mayo de 2019 al 16 de mayo de 2024.

8 de agosto de 2019: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has preliminarily approved Low Impact Certification for the Oswegatchie River Hydroelectric Project. The Certification includes four conditions:

Condición 1: A más tardar en la primera presentación anual de la certificación a LIHI, después de la certificación, el Propietario de la Instalación deberá: a) Implementar una revisión anual del personal correspondiente para reforzar los requisitos de operación y caudal ambiental de cada desarrollo. La documentación que indique el personal asistente y un resumen del material analizado se incluirán en las presentaciones anuales de cumplimiento a LIHI; y b) Proporcionar una copia del procedimiento final desarrollado para Eel Weir para ayudar a eliminar futuras desviaciones del caudal base. También se incluirán copias de los documentos presentados ante la FERC, las aprobaciones y los resúmenes de consultas en las presentaciones anuales de cumplimiento a LIHI.

Condición 2:  The Facility Owner shall provide a summary of the effectiveness testing of the nature-like escala de peces at Heuvelton when testing is complete. Copies of any FERC filings, agency approvals, and consultation summaries should also be provided in annual compliance submittals to LIHI until testing is completed. LIHI reserves the right to modify certification based on upstream passage effectiveness results. Option to extend term by 3 years for PLUS  pending satisfaction of Condition 2 and provided effectiveness testing is satisfactory.

Condición 3: El propietario de la instalación deberá proporcionar a LIHI una actualización del estado de la instalación de rejillas para basura de 1 pulgada en Browns Falls, Flat Rock y South Edwards en los informes anuales de cumplimiento. También se deben proporcionar a LIHI copias de los documentos presentados ante la FERC, las aprobaciones y los resúmenes de las consultas.

Condición 4: El propietario de la instalación deberá proporcionar una copia del informe que se presentará a la FERC detallando la finalización de las instalaciones recreativas propuestas a más tardar el 27 de febrero de 2020.

Esta decisión es preliminar y está pendiente del período de apelación de 30 días. Solo aquellos que comentaron sobre la solicitud inicial durante el período de comentarios de 60 días son elegibles para presentar una apelación. Dicha apelación debe incluir una explicación de por qué el Proyecto no cumple con los criterios de LIHI. Las solicitudes de apelación se pueden enviar por correo electrónico a comentarios@lowimpacthydro.org with “Oswegatchie Hydroelectric Project” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 6, Lexington, MA 02420. All requests will be posted to the website.  The applicant will have an opportunity to respond and any response will also be posted. Las solicitudes deben recibirse antes de las 5 p. m., hora del Este, el 8 de septiembre de 2019.  La solicitud completa y el informe del revisor están disponibles a continuación.

If no appeal requests are received and the decision becomes final, the Certification term for the Project (pending LIHI #161) will be May 17, 2019 for a term of five (5) years, which will expire on May 16, 2024.

20 de mayo de 2019: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has received a complete application for Low Impact Certification of the Oswegatchie Hydroelectric Project.  LIHI is seeking public comment on this application.  Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think the Project meets the LIHI Low Impact Certification Criteria, as revised in the 2nd Edition Handbook.  Please review the program and criteria in LIHI’s revised Manualy luego revise los materiales de solicitud del Proyecto a continuación.

Comentarios que están directamente relacionados con criterios específicos de LIHI (caudales, calidad del agua, paso de peces, etc.) serán de gran ayuda, pero se considerarán todos los comentarios. Los comentarios pueden enviarse al Instituto por correo electrónico a comentarios@lowimpacthydro.org con “Comentarios del Proyecto Oswegatchie” en la línea de asunto, o por correo dirigido al Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 6, Lexington, MA 02420.  Los comentarios deben recibirse antes de las 5 p. m., hora del Este, el 19 de julio de 2019. Se considerarán todos los comentarios. Se publicarán en el sitio web y el solicitante tendrá la oportunidad de responder. También se publicarán todas las respuestas.

Archivos:

• Oswegatchie Certification Review_final
• Public Oswegatchie River LIHI Application final