Duke Energy has asked a federal appeals court in Washington, DC, to review its request for a longer license to manage about 300 miles of the Catawba River in North and South Carolina.
Last year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Duke a new, 40-year license to manage the waterway and its hydroelectric dams. Duke had requested a 50-year license.
The company appealed to regulators, but in July they affirmed the 40-year license.
Now, the company wants the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington to take up its case.
A Duke spokeswoman said Tuesday that promised improvements and other benefits of a longer license are comparable to those in other cases where regulators granted 50-year licenses.
She also said the longer-license had many supporters. According to the appeal, 70 companies, local governments and other groups initially signed on in support of the 50-year license.
"We think the 50-year license is really important to all the stakeholders who signed that comprehensive relicensing agreement," spokeswoman Kim Crawford said. "There are additional benefits to state agencies for environmental enhancements and land conservation easements under a 50 year license."
In announcing the 40-year license last November, Duke said it plans to add or upgrade 89 public recreation areas over the next 20 years.
Duke's original license for the river, granted in 1958, was 50 years.
RELATED LINKS
Duke Energy Catawba-Wateree relicensing web page, at Duke-Energy.com.
Appeals Court filing on the FERC website, http://elibrary.ferc.gov/
