The Cascade foothills are home to a variety of captivating wildlife. It’s also the location of the small but important South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. We are currently in the process of renewing the project’s license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The relicensing process includes two years of… [ Keep reading ]
On January 26, 2026, the City of Seattle (City) filed an Initial Study Report (ISR) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This is a required step in relicensing the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. What is the ISR? The ISR is a formal progress report on the 24 studies the City is conducting as part of the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project relicensing process. These studies include some that were required by FERC in their Study Plan Determination and others agreed to between the City, Tribes, and other Licensing Participants (LPs). The ISR… [ Keep reading ]
The Cascade foothills are home to the small but important South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. We are currently in the process of renewing the project’s license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This process takes several years. A significant part of the work is to identify gaps in our current… [ Keep reading ]
The South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric (is one cool little) Project In the Seattle area, most of the drinking water we use has generated power on its way to our faucets. The very same water serves a third purpose, too. The reservoir behind the South Fork Tolt (SFT) Hydroelectric Project on… [ Keep reading ]
FERC issues Study Plan Determination – marking a new phase in relicensing work On February 13, FERC issued their formal Study Plan Determination. It is a significant milestone that moves us into the next phase of work to relicense the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. This license allows the City… [ Keep reading ]
City Files Revised Study Plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission On January 17, 2025, the City of Seattle submitted its Revised Study Plan (RSP) to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This is a key part of the process to renew the license for the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric… [ Keep reading ]
Deepening our collective knowledge of the South Fork Tolt On September 20, 2024, the City of Seattle (City) filed a Proposed Study Plan (PSP) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as required to relicense the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. Seattle Public Utilities has owned and operated the dam,… [ Keep reading ]
On May 31, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued their scoping document for relicensing the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. FERC uses this document to identify topics to address in their National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis. The document also contains the plan and schedule for the rest of… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle filed documents on April 8 with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to formally begin relicensing the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. These documents are called the Notice of Intent (NOI) and Pre-Application Document (PAD). Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) are collaborating on… [ Keep reading ]
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for the City’s South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project is up for renewal, and Seattle City Light is partnering with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) in this multi-year relicensing project. The hydroelectric facility was built in 1995 to generate power from the South Fork Tolt… [ Keep reading ]
