HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.17.20 Email from FERC - PGE under P-2107, Poe Hydro Project, Re Report On Ramping Rate Deviation
From:Wong, Neil
To:Frank Blackett (frank.blackett@ferc.gov); John Onderdonk; Vinh Tran (Vinh.Tran@ferc.gov); "John Aedo - FERC
SFRO"
Cc:Walther, Janet; Visinoni, Jamie; Joseph, Matthew
Subject:Poe Project (FERC No. 2107) - Potential Ramp Rate Deviation
Date:Monday, December 23, 2019 11:23:00 AM
Dear Mr. Blackett,
This email is being sent as a courtesy notification to your office to inform you that PG&E experienced
a potential ramping rate deviation below Poe Dam, part of PG&E’s Poe Hydroelectric Project (FERC
No. 2107). On Wednesday morning, December 18, 2019, at approximately 0900 hours, a potential
ramping rate deviation occurred as measure at NF-23, below Poe Dam. PG&E Operations personnel
were ramping down the Cresta Units (part of PG&E’s Rock Creek-Cresta Hydroelectric Project, FERC
No. 1962) in order to separate the units to safely perform regulatory required gate testing at Cresta
Dam with the Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD). Once the separation occurred (0800 hours) and
the units were offline, a potential ramping rate at NF-23 occurred between 0900-1000, as recorded
flows fell by 200 cubic feet per second (cfs)/hour.
During the unit separation process, Operators ramped the units conservatively (ramping down less
than 150 cfs/hour). Once the units reached their minimum load, they were pulled completely off
line, thus causing the 200 cfs change. In this case, there are equipment limitations that would not
allow for a smaller change during the final separation phase.
The current license requirement states as follows:
U.S. Forest Service 4(e) Condition No. 23 “Streamflow, Part 5” and State Water Resource Board
Condition 5.1 “Interim Ramping Rates”
Within 60 days of license issuance, the Licensee shall implement interim ramping rates for all Poe
Dam flows under the Licensee’s control and below 3,000 cfs (as measured at Gage 23) as follows:
A. 250 cfs/hour up-ramp from March 1 through September 30;
B. 400 cfs/hour up-ramp from October 1 through February 28/29; and
C. 150 cfs/hour down-ramp year-round.
A PG&E Hydrographer is working to download data of the event to confirm the potential deviation.
Following review of the data, if necessary, PG&E will provide a follow up report to the FERC
Secretary within 30-days of this incident. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please
contact PG&E’s Senior License Coordinator Matthew Joseph at 415-973-8616 or via email at
matthew.joseph@pge.com
.
Thank you,
Neil
Neil J. Wong
Hydro Licensing Supervisor (Power Generation)
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Phone (415) 973-2109
Cell (415) 535-3712
Fax (415) 973-5323
Email: Neil.Wong@pge.com