California OKs Ownership Transfer in Four Hydroelectric Dams

Under a 48-party settlement, California regulators have approved removing four hydroelectric dams in the Lower Klamath River system along the Oregon border.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved Pacific Power Co.’s request to transfer ownership of the dams to the Klamath River Renewal Corp. Pacific Power parent PacifiCorp reached the settlement with Oregon and California, several Native American tribes and local groups.

The dams include a 90 MW facility in southern Oregon and three others in Northern California, collectively totaling 65 MW.

PacifiCorp spokesperson Bob Gravely said power output from the Klamath dams would not be replaced on a one-to-one basis, but instead is planned through an integrated resource plan across the six-state system. 

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