What is a FERC License?
The Federal Power Act of 1920 provides the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with exclusive authority to license all non-federal hydroelectric projects that are located on navigable waterways or federal lands. The Carmen-Smith project is located on federal land and is subject to FERC licensing. Licenses are normally issued for a period of 30 to 50 years and contain conditions that regulate project operations. In order to continue to operate project facilities, a licensee must obtain a new license for its project when the existing license expires. This process is called “relicensing.
