16 U.S.C. § 808 - New licenses and renewals

• Cite as: 16 U.S.C. § 808

(a) Relicensing procedures; terms and conditions; issuance to applicant with proposal best adapted to serve public interest; factors considered

(1) If the United States does not, at the expiration of the existing license, exercise its right to take over, maintain, and operate any project or projects of the licensee, as provided in section 807 of this title, the commission is authorized to issue a new license to the existing licensee upon such terms and conditions as may be authorized or required under the then existing laws and regulations, or to issue a new license under said terms and conditions to a new licensee, which license may cover any project or projects covered by the existing license, and shall be issued on the condition that the new licensee shall, before taking possession of such project or projects, pay such amount, and assume such contracts as the United States is required to do in the manner specified in section 807 of this title: Provided, That in the event the United States does not exercise the right to take over or does not issue a license to a new licensee, or issue a new license to the existing licensee, upon reasonable terms, then the commission shall issue from year to year an annual license to the then licensee under the terms and conditions of the existing license until the property is taken over or a new license is issued as aforesaid.

(2) Any new license issued under this section shall be issued to the applicant having the final proposal which the Commission determines is best adapted to serve the public interest, except that in making this determination the Commission shall ensure that insignificant differences with regard to subparagraphs (A) through (G) of this paragraph between competing applications are not determinative and shall not result in the transfer of a project. In making a determination under this section (whether or not more than one application is submitted for the project), the Commission shall, in addition to the requirements of section 803 of this title, consider (and explain such consideration in writing) each of the following:

(A) The plans and abilities of the applicant to comply with (i) the articles, terms, and conditions of any license issued to it and (ii) other applicable provisions of this subchapter.

(B) The plans of the applicant to manage, operate, and maintain the project safely.

(C) The plans and abilities of the applicant to operate and maintain the project in a manner most likely to provide efficient and reliable electric service.

(D) The need of the applicant over the short and long term for the electricity generated by the project or projects to serve its customers, including, among other relevant considerations, the reasonable costs and reasonable availability of alternative sources of power, taking into consideration conservation and other relevant factors and taking into consideration the effect on the provider (including its customers) of the alternative source of power, the effect on the applicant's operating and load characteristics, the effect on communities served or to be served by the project, and in the case of an applicant using power for the applicant's own industrial facility and related operations, the effect on the operation and efficiency of such facility or related operations, its workers, and the related community. In the case of an applicant that is an Indian tribe applying for a license for a project located on the tribal reservation, a statement of the need of such tribe for electricity generated by the project to foster the purposes of the reservation may be included.