SLEEPING GIANT HYDROPOWER PROJECT

​The Western Area Power Administration (Western), an agency of the Department of Energy (DOE), is participating as a cooperating agency with the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) on a proposed hydropower project at the Helena Valley Pumping Plant near Helena, Montana.  The Helena Valley Irrigation District (District) is proposing to build a hydroelectric generator at its existing pumping site immediately downstream of Canyon Ferry Dam and to interconnect the new generation to WAPA’s electrical transmission grid.

This EA addresses WAPA’s proposed federal action of interconnecting the proposed Project to WAPA’s transmission system and making any necessary modification to WAPA’s facilities to accommodate the interconnection.  Reclamation is the lead agency for this EA.  WAPA and Reclamation will present information regarding the Project at a public meeting will be held on Thursday, October 22, starting at 7:00 p.m.  The meeting will be held in the Conference Room at Montana Association of Counties, located at 2715 Skyway Drive, Suite A, Helena, Montana.  Interested parties are encouraged to attend the meeting.  For more information on Reclamation’s role in the project, please visit the Bureau of Reclamation’s project page.

Comments or requests for the draft EA may be submitted by letter to WAPA at P.O. Box 35800, Billings, Montana 59107, by phone at (406) 255-2811, or by email to Micah Reuber at reuber@wapa.gov.  Please refer to the Sleeping Giant Hydropower Project in your correspondence.

Dates: The comment period closed at midnight on Friday, November 13, 2015.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

DRAFT EA

FINAL EA

FONSI

Last modified on August 8th, 2023