The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Dec. 8 approved an Aug. 26 application from Empire State Hydro 303 LLC for a preliminary permit to study the feasibility of the proposed Rock Bottom Hydroelectric Project, to be located on the Susquehanna River near the city of Binghamton, Broome County, New York.
The proposed project would consist of: an existing 9-foot-high, 460-foot-long gravity dam; a proposed concrete powerhouse approximately 100 feet long by 40 feet wide housing eight low-head, horizontal bulb turbines having a total installed capacity of 1,992 kilowatts; a proposed concrete tailrace wall extending approximately 100 feet downstream; and a proposed 500-foot-long, 12,700-volt transmission line interconnecting with the local utility.
The proposed project would have an average annual generation of about 10 megawatt-hours. It would use a dam owned by the City of Binghamton, New York.
The permit covers three years of project feasibility work, with a license application then needed if the decision is to pursue the project further.
