Docket No. P-9685-034
Item: H-1
FERC today ordered Ampersand Cranberry Lake Hydro, LLC to explain why it should not pay a $600,000 civil penalty for violating its hydroelectric license by failing to retain possession of all project property covered by the license. Ampersand Cranberry Lake has 30 days to respond to today’s order.
The project is located on the Oswegatchie River in St. Lawrence County, New York.
Ampersand Cranberry Lake notified Commission staff in July 2021 that it had agreed to terminate its lease and give up access rights to the project site. Commission staff repeatedly had warned the company that doing so would violate its license and would not relieve Ampersand of the company’s responsibility to complete all outstanding dam safety work.
Licensees of FERC-jurisdictional hydroelectric projects must comply with all safety requirements of their licenses, as public safety is a top priority at these facilities. FERC requires licensees to maintain possession of property rights for their hydroelectric projects to ensure proper operation and maintenance of the projects and to ensure the licensees can address dam safety issues.
The Commission proposed imposition of the civil penalty today in consideration of the nature and seriousness of the alleged violation.
R22-4