As you may know Alabama Power Company (APC) received their new operating license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on March 31st 2010. The new license was granted for the next 30 years. SLISA asked for a rehearing on April 30th. On May 27th FERC issued the following order.

ORDER GRANTING REHEARING FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION

SLISA is hopeful that FERC will indeed grant a full rehearing. Now that FERC issued the above order there is no set time frame either to grant or deny a full rehearing.
Although the new license basically maintains the status Quo. Part of APC’s new license requires the following.
That Alabama Power develop and implement a plan to monitor compliance with the lake level guide curve for Smith Lake, lake elevations, and downstream flows. Within 120 days of the license being issued APC is required to file their flow monitoring compliance plan for approval with FERC. If strict compliance has to be maintained then our Lake Levels on Labor Day Should be around the 504.5 msl which will be 4 feet higher than the current average on Labor Day.
We are asking each stakeholder on Smith Lake to check the Rule Curve versus actual level each day. When the actual level is below the rule by greater than 6 inches we ask you to call the FERC’s Enforcement Hotline and complain that APC is not following the rule curve.

FERC Enforcement Hotline 1-888-889-8030

In the past FERC has shown blatant Bias for APC and against SLISA. We still remain hopeful that FERC will grant a rehearing due to the overwhelming scientific and economic evidence supporting the SLISA Proposal. In the event FERC chooses not to grant a rehearing we are looking forward to our chance in Federal Court and resolving this important matter once and for all.
www.slisa.org

Jared Key,
(205)516-2186
President SLISA
www.slisa.org