Energy

PG&E Authorized to Continue Operating Helms Pumped Storage Project

🇺🇸United States··Notice·Low Impact·View source ↗

AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.

🇬🇧 English

Pacific Gas and Electric Company can keep operating the Helms Pumped Storage Project after its current federal license expires. The authorization runs from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2027, unless FERC issues a new license or decides on another outcome sooner. If no new license is issued by April 30, 2027, the annual authorization renews automatically unless FERC says otherwise. The practical effect is continuity: PG&E, energy market participants, and customers relying on the project should not expect an operational gap while relicensing continues.

AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.

Key Changes

  • PG&E receives annual authorization to continue operating the Helms Pumped Storage Project from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027.
  • The project may continue operating under the prior license terms while FERC handles the next license or another final decision.
  • The annual authorization will renew automatically after April 30, 2027, if no new license or other decision is issued.

Obligations

What this law requires

medium

Pacific Gas and Electric Company must operate the Helms Pumped Storage Project under the terms and conditions of the prior license during the annual authorization period or until FERC issues a new license or otherwise disposes of the project, whichever occurs first.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Effective May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027, unless superseded earlier by a new license or other FERC disposition
operational
medium

If no new license or other disposition occurs by April 30, 2027, Pacific Gas and Electric Company must continue operating the Helms Pumped Storage Project under the automatically renewed annual license unless FERC orders otherwise.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Automatic renewal after April 30, 2027 if no new license or other disposition has occurred
licensing

Affected Parties

Pacific Gas and Electric CompanyEnergy market participants and customers relying on the Helms Pumped Storage Project+1 more…

Tags

FERC,hydropower,pumped storage