Calaveras County Water District begins hydroelectric relicensing

The Calaveras County Water District (CCWD) has initiated the federal relicensing process for its North Fork Stanislaus River Hydroelectric Project. The district filed a Pre-Application Document (PAD) and a Notice of Intent to Relicense (NOI) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

The North Fork Project serves as CCWD’s primary water supply source and possesses 258 megawatts of hydroelectric generating capacity. Key infrastructure includes the New Spicer Meadow Reservoir and Powerhouse, McKays Point Reservoir, and the Collierville Tunnel and Powerhouse. The project is owned by CCWD and operated in partnership with the Northern California Power Agency.

The current 50-year license, issued in 1982, is set to expire on January 31, 2032. The relicensing procedure will involve a comprehensive evaluation of the project’s operations, including its environmental, cultural, recreational, and natural resource impacts.