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In October 2022 Bluewater filed the Amended Final License Application (FLA) for the reconfigured and improved Bluewater Renewable Energy Storage project, and awaits FERC’s notice that the licensing process can proceed. The Bluewater project is substantially similar to the LEAPS project previously considered by FERC, with the following distinctions:
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The Applicant is now proposing to develop only one primary transmission line that will connect the Bluewater powerhouse with the Southern California Edison (SCE) interconnection point. The primary transmission line will only carry the project power required to recharge the upper reservoir and, the power that’s generated on upper reservoir discharge.
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The alignment of the primary transmission line is substantially different to the alignment reviewed in the previous applications, with the proposed new transmission line only 8 miles in length and located outside the Cleveland National Forest in areas of previous disturbance within City of Lake Elsinore boundaries. The line has also been reduced from 500 kV to 230 kV to allow for buried installation where practical.
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The FLA for the reconfigured Bluewater project proposes to develop only the sites required for generation as recommended by FERC staff in the FEIS for Project Number 11858, and as reviewed for the LEAPS project, Number 14227.