20080915 Ver 2_USFWS Comments_20110301

"T F ti United States Department of the Interior
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Asheville Field Office
160Lillicoa Street
?gACH 3 ,0ae Asheville, North Carolina 28801
March 1, 2011
Mr. Hugh Barwick
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC
526 South Church Street
P.O. Box 1006/EC I 2Y
Charlotte, NC 28201-1006
Dear Hugh:
We have reviewed Duke Energy Carolinas' request to amend the license for its Catawba-
W ateree Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project Number P-2232). Specifically, the proposed
amendment is to operate the new Bridgewater Powerhouse; Duke proposes this as a non-capacity
amendment. The Bridgewater Development, located on the Linville River and Catawba River in
McDowell and Burke counties, North Carolina, is part of the Catawba-Wateree Project, which
comprises 10 other developments stretching across parts of nine counties in North Carolina and
five counties in South Carolina. The new powerhouse has been approved by FERC, but pending
application for a new project license, including the new powerhouse, has been delayed. The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service previously reviewed the Embankment Seismic Stability Improvements
(ESSI) plans for endangered species, and responded to FERC by letter dated January 7, 2008.
We do not object to the proposed non-capacity license amendment. The new powerhouse will
replace the existing powerhouse which will be removed as part of the ESSI stabilization efforts.
Completion of the powerhouse in September 2011, with its new generators will increase the
installed capacity from 20.0 MW to 27.7 MW (total Project capacity from 831 MW to 838.7
MW), a significant improvement in efficiency and minimal hydraulic capacity (from 2,946 cfs to
3,260 cfs), but considered a small incremental increase in the overall project capacity.
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the proposed amendment of the Project License in
order to incorporate the upgrades at the new Bridgewater Powerhouse. We look forward to
working with you to ensure that the Project is operated in a manner that minimizes its affect on
fish and wildlife resources in Linville River and Catawba River. We have assigned our Log
Number 4-2-11-147 to this consultation. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to
contact me at 828/258-3939, Ext. 227, or via email at mark a_cantrell,r fws.gov.
Sincerely,
- - 00ginal s-igned - -
Mark A. Cantrell
Fish & Wildlife Biologist