The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on July 30 issued a three-year preliminary permit to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for a 2.16-MW hydro project.
The department will use this time to study the feasibility of the proposed Tongue River Power Project, to be located on the Tongue River near Decker in Big Horn County, Montana. The project would include a 1-mile-long, 25-kV transmission line connecting to an existing line. The estimated annual generation of the Tongue River project would be 7.34 gigawatt-hours.
FERC noted that: “Strive Energy Services Ltd. is considering development of a small hydropower facility at the current site of the Tongue River dam in partnership with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. This proposal is in a preliminary planning stage and it is not clear whether the Montana DNRC proposal would interfere or affect Strive Energy Services Ltd.’s future development at this site.”
During the course of the permit, the commission expects that the permittee will carry out prefiling consultation and study development leading to the possible development of a license application.
