Feds give SoCal Edison more time to submit data in contentious Kern River plant relicensing

Southern California Edison will have until June 30, 2025 to file required information on its application to relicense its Kernville power plant, despite strong objections by a local boating group.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission found Edison’s application deficient as it didn’t include design drawings of the plant and its intake facilities. It initially demanded the drawings by March 18 but on Monday granted Edison’s request to bump the deadline by three months.

Kern River Boaters had objected, saying the delay will give the public less time to study the plans in order to make informed comments.

Besides, the boaters argued in a “motion to intervene,” Edison had “years of notice” that the design drawings were required as part of the relicensing process.

For its part, Edison said it needed extra time in order to review and update, where needed, prior design documents from 1990, according to an Edison spokeswoman.

The next major phase in the process is for FERC to begin an extensive environmental analysis of the plant. That was scheduled to begin in April but will likely now be bumped back to July.

The plant’s current license, issued in 1996, is set to expire in November 2026. Even so, these delays likely won’t affect plant operations as FERC generally allows operations to continue under a current license until it acts on the new application, according to a FERC spokeswoman.

FERC has already ruled that it will not consider decommissioning the plant, which has operated on the river just past Kernville since it was built in 1921. It produces about 40 megawatts, enough to power 15,000 homes, according to Edison.

Instead, Kern River Boaters and other river enthusiasts are hoping to alter the new license to require Edison to take less water out at Fairview Dam, about 16 miles upstream from the plant. Their contention is the current license leaves too little water in the river to the detriment of fish and recreation.

Once granted, a new license will govern plant operations for the next 40 years.

Meanwhile, the public may comment on any aspect of the relicensing at any point in the process by following the guidelines listed HERE (https://www.ferc.gov/how-file-comment) for “Docket Number P-2290.”

To read all documents associated with the relicensing, interested persons may go HERE https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search and type P-2290 in the “docket number.”

• Brought to you by the Upper Kern River Fisheries Enhancement Fund